Brought Together
by punklau
Summary: After unfortunate circumstances, AJ finds herself living in a new household with a new family, however, she finds it particularly hard to gravitate towards one of the family members, and finds herself in an uncomfortable situation which forces her into chaotic decisions.
1. New Home

**New Home**

* * *

"Phillip! Get up out of your bed, right now." A short tempered young woman yelled into her son's bedroom.

"Go away." The eighteen year old grumbled, turning around in bed and wrapping his pillow around his head.

"You are not missing another day of school." The woman said, walking further into the messy room, opening the curtains wide to let the winter sunlight in as the young boy further moaned, "And April is coming this morning so don't wear something from your room floor." She shook her head, stepping over the clothes on the floor.

"I don't care about April." The young boy, Phil Brooks, best known as Punk to those around him said.

"Hey, stop that." His mother, Kerry said, "She's had an extremely tough time. You know that." She said.

"Doesn't mean we have to adopt her." Punk shook his head, sitting up from his bed and rubbing his face tiredly.

"She has no one else. Her mother was my best friend." Kerry said.

"Best friend?" Punk made a face of confusion, "Where were you when she killed herself then?" He tested as Kerry shook her head.

"Get dressed, Phil." Kerry said, closing the room door over as Punk rubbed his face tiredly and stood up.

He pulled some clothes out of his half empty closet before heading across the hall into the bathroom to take a shower. He lived at home with his mom and sixteen year old little brother. They didn't grow up with much, especially with just one parent. Kerry worked every shift under the sun at the school which Punk and his little brother, Dean attended. She was the receptionist, and it was hard making a living off what little wages she had, even harder days to come as they were welcoming a new guest into their house.

Punk got dressed once spending way too long in the shower, and headed downstairs into the kitchen where his little brother already was slouched at the table, falling asleep with his head on the table. His mother was frantically making breakfast in the background. Despite what little they had, they still had a home, three meals a day, clothes on their back, and every bit of credit went to their mother for that.

Punk dumped his bookbag on the table, making a loud bang beside Dean who shot up and jumped out of his skin after dozing.

"What the fuck-" Dean groaned sleepily.

"Wakey wakey." Punk smiled, moving his bag down to the floor and sitting across from Dean.

"You're a dick." Dean grumbled as he placed his head back onto the table.

"And you have a hangover on a school day." Punk noticed.

"No he doesn't. He said he's not feeling good." Kerry said, putting down a plate of toast for them to help themselves as she brushed her hand over Dean's dirty blonde hair, "You've even got a temperature." She frowned.

"More like the boozy sweats." Punk said as Dean kicked him hard under the table.

"Why don't you eat your toast." Dean eyed him whilst keeping his head on the table as Punk just shook his head and grabbed a slice of toast.

"Your lunch is in the fridge, Phil. I don't want you buying food at school anymore. It's way too expensive and with April staying with us now we… we need to save all the money we can." Kerry nodded.

"Can't she just go stay in a home?" Dean asked.

"Dean." Kerry scolded angrily, "You both used to love playing with April when you were little. She's a sweetheart."

"Yeah when we were like 7." Punk shook his head, "She's weird at school. She's got no friends."

"She's in my history class." Dean nodded, "She is weird." Dean agreed.

"How about you both take into consideration what she's gone through in the past year or so." Kerry said, "Stop being so damn insensitive and look at the bigger picture." She said as they both just stayed quiet, "That's what I thought." She said, nudging the back of Punk's head as she walked by them.

"How long is she staying for?" Dean asked.

"She's staying with us permanently until she wants to leave. I'm her legal guardian now." Kerry said, "She'll be like the sister you guys always wanted." She smiled to them as they both looked at her in horror.

"I didn't want any siblings." Punk said as Dean just rolled his eyes.

"And I don't want a sister." Dean said just as the doorbell rang, "Speaking of sister." He grumbled, looking over at Punk who just shook his head and grabbed another piece of toast.

"Be nice to her. Please." Kerry begged, walking out of the kitchen and down the hall to the doorway, opening it up where she saw April or AJ as she liked to go by, standing with a social worker who she had been with over the past few weeks whilst the paper work got sorted out for her to stay with Kerry legally.

"April." Kerry smiled.

"Hi." AJ smiled, walking into the house and hugging Kerry, whom was like the only family she had left.

"How are you doing?" Kerry asked, rubbing her back as AJ just nodded.

"I'm ok." AJ forced a smile and nodded.

"I'll be making a few visits over the course of the month to see how April is settling in." The social worker nodded, "And I've arranged for her things to be dropped off over the next few days." She said as Kerry nodded.

"She'll be just fine here." Kerry smiled as the social worker nodded.

"Very well." The worker said, "I'll see you later then." She said.

"Thank you." AJ made sure to say before the social worker left and Kerry closed the door over, "Kerry I really appreciate you letting me stay with you. I… You really didn't have to."

"Hey, you're like family." Kerry said, "Your mom would have done the same for my boys." She nodded as AJ just smiled, "Come on, have you had breakfast?"

"No." AJ shook her head.

"Come on then. I just made some toast." She smiled, leading her down the hallway as AJ followed.

April Jeanette Mendez was a 17 year old girl whom had lived with her mentally ill mother all her life. She had no other family. She spent her childhood and teenage life taking care of her mother, making sure she was eating, sleeping, taking her pills, but there was only so much she could do. Her mother committed suicide a few months ago. She was still in shock. Kerry immediately reached out and offered to take her in. She always knew Kerry as an aunt type figure in her life, but as the years went by things had become a lot more distant.

"Where did all the toast go?" Kerry walked into the kitchen.

"We ate it." Punk shook his head as AJ followed in behind Kerry, looking on at them both. She saw them around school. They were both outsiders like her but in completely different ways.

"I put six slices on." Kerry shook her head.

"And we were hungry." Dean argued as Kerry just shook her head.

"April I have to apologise on behalf of my toast eating locusts, otherwise known as my sons. I'm sure you remember each other." Kerry nodded, walking on over to the kitchen counter to put more toast on.

"Hey." AJ nodded to them as they both nodded to her, watching as she stood awkwardly at the door.

"Well sit down. We aren't gonna bite you." Dean shook his head as AJ looked at them both, putting her bookbag down and taking a seat beside Dean.

"Do you have something for lunch, April?" Kerry asked.

"Yeah I made something up at the home I was in." AJ smiled and nodded.

"You were in a home all this time?" Kerry asked, "I wish they let you come here sooner." She shook her head.

"It wasn't so bad." AJ shrugged, "The people there were nice." She nodded, "Do you still work at the school? I'm barely at the office so… I never know."

"Yeah, I'm still there." Kerry smiled, "It's a real moment of pride when I see one of my son's in the principal's office once a week." She nodded as AJ just looked from Dean to Punk who just shrugged, "It keeps us all fed and warm, I guess." Kerry shrugged, "Here, more toast." She said, putting down another plate as Dean and Punk went in for more first as AJ watched them.

She remembered seeing them when they were all little, but as the years went by she barely saw them at all apart from at school. She knew the older one, Phil, barely went to school. She secretly thought he was cute, remembering that one time he held the door open for her in the cafeteria. Dean, the younger one, was more of the rebel, she knew he hung around with the dangerous kids, the ones who stood at the back of the school smoking. She got the vibe they were very different, but she also knew they were very close brothers.

"You're both… going to school today?" AJ asked them both nervously. She didn't know how she felt about living with them. She was truly grateful to Kerry for letting her into her home, especially when she really had nowhere else to go, but she was also extremely nervous to live with two boys around. She didn't know anything about boys. She didn't even had girl friends at school.

"Well duh." Dean made a face at her, "Obviously we are."

"And mom makes us walk because she hates us." Punk told her as AJ shook her head.

"I don't hate you." Kerry rolled her eyes, "I think it's better for you to walk. It's more exercise and fresh air for you."

"Fresh air? It's freezing outside, you crazy woman." Dean laughed as AJ just stayed quiet and looked down whilst Punk looked across at her.

"Looks like another person has joined the walking bus then." Punk said as AJ looked up at him, smiling softly. He always secretly thought she was pretty, even when everyone called her weird. He was never one to follow the crowd and agree with something just because everyone else was saying it. She was super quiet and awkward, but he also knew that what she'd been through couldn't have been easy at all.

"You guys should leave in five minutes if you wanna make it in time." Kerry looked at the clock in the kitchen, "We're having chicken and rice for dinner, does that suit everyone?" She asked, "Ok, great." She nodded, not giving anyone the chance to answer. Punk and Dean were used to their mothers excessive behaviour whilst AJ just sat and took it all in. It was strange to be in a home where she didn't have to check pill boxes and make her own food and make sure her mom was fit to go to work.

"Ok, let's get going then." Dean nodded, dusting his hands off and standing up, stretching and yawning loudly as Punk also got up which made AJ stand up.

"Oh, April. I'll show you to your room when you get home today. It's the spare bedroom so it's nothing special. You can… decorate it with whatever you like." Kerry waved her hand.

"Yeah, you like any cute girl bands? Feel free to plaster that on your door." Dean nodded as AJ just smiled awkwardly.

"Everyone go and have a great day. Can't wait to hear what you all learn." She smiled, watching as they walked down the hall, April slowly walking behind them as she sighed to herself, only hoping that this would work out. She wanted to do right by April. Her mother was her best friend and she felt extremely guilty for not being there for her as much as she could. If this is the best she could do for her then she was going to do it.

* * *

Punk and Dean walked on ahead whilst AJ walked behind them on the way to school. Neither knew what to say to her, so they simply walked ahead. Dean pulled out a cigarette from his bag once they were far away from their house.

"You're gonna be dead at twenty. Your lungs are gonna get tired." Punk scoffed.

"So will you. For being a boring bastard." Dean replied, lighting up as he saw AJ walking behind at the corner of his eye, "You smoke?" He turned around to her as she looked at him and shook her head, "Didn't think so." He whispered, "She's like a lost puppy." He said quietly to Punk.

"Shut up." Punk replied as Dean blew smoke in his face, which made Punk grab him by the back of the neck and push his head down.

"Alright alright." Dean moaned like a little brother would after biting off more than he could chew, "I'm just saying… this is gonna be the worst." He shook his head as Punk just turned his head a little to look at AJ who was looking down as she walked behind them.

"Just be nice." Punk shook his head, which normally wasn't his response at all, but he could see AJ was clearly uncomfortable just like them and she'd been through a hell of a lot, the last thing she needed was them acting like jerks.

"I'll be nice." Dean nodded, "Is it bad I find her hot? Like now she's supposed to be our sister but I'd still love to jizz on her tits." He said as Punk turned to him.

"Never mind. Your lungs aren't gonna be what kills you, it's gonna be me, I'm gonna kill you." Punk nodded as Dean just shook his head as they walked to school with their new house guest following behind.

* * *

 **A/N: Let me know what you think!**


	2. Grouchy

**Grouchy**

* * *

"Where is April?" Kerry asked as she saw her sons come home from school.

"How are we supposed to know?" Dean asked, opening up the fridge right away after he dumped his bag down, grabbing some things out.

"Dean, your dinner will be ready soon. Stop that." Kerry shook her head.

"I'm hungry." Dean moaned with a mouthful as Kerry shook her head.

"Pass me the chips." Punk nodded to Dean who threw the chips over to Punk.

"You're supposed to be looking out for April." Kerry put her hands on her hips.

"She's not our problem." Punk made a face, "I'm not waiting around on her." He shrugged.

"Well you should, it would be nice for her to get to know you both." Kerry said, "I don't want either of you making her uncomfortable. This is her home now."

"Yeah and it's our home too." Dean said, opening his mouth and squirting the cheese from a can in it whilst Punk made his way through the bag of chips.

"What am I going to do with you both?" Kerry sighed to herself as she heard the door open.

"See, she found her way here. What magic." Punk nodded to his mom as Kerry nipped his ear on the way by him, "Hey." Punk yelped as Kerry headed out of the kitchen.

"How was your day?" Kerry asked AJ who was taking her converse off at the door.

"It was fine." AJ nodded, "I uh… I have a lot of homework." She said.

"Right." Kerry said, "Well actually some of your stuff came today. I sat the boxes in your room, I'll take you up and show you." Kerry said as AJ just smiled and followed her, hearing the boys in the kitchen making loud noise. She didn't expect them to wait on her, or sit with her at school, or treat her any differently than before. She was used to expecting nothing from people.

"Ok, so here is the bathroom." Kerry opened up the bathroom door where Punk had left boxer shorts lying on the floor and Dean had left a pile of clothes in the corner, "Those damn boys." Kerry gritted her teeth as AJ just laughed a little, "Honestly, I'm hoping that maybe you being around might… sharpen them up a little." She said as AJ just smiled, "But maybe not." She said, "Anyway, this is the bathroom, it's mostly always clean." She promised, "So you can put all your things in, I cleared the space over there for any shampoo and shower gel… whatever you have, obviously I will buy you what you need, just tell me." Kerry went on and on as AJ tried to keep up.

"I'll get a job and contribute as much as I can." AJ nodded.

"Oh, no. Don't be silly. You need to focus on your school work." Kerry nodded, "Ok, across here is Phil's room, you take your life into your own hands when you go in it so-"

"I won't be going into it." AJ laughed a little.

"Dean's is over there." She pointed, "That's mine in the corner. And this is yours." She said, opening up the spare bedroom door as AJ walked in.

"Oh, it's… it's bigger than my old room." AJ noticed with surprise.

"Oh, good." Kerry smiled, "I… you can decorate it how you like, if you want me to order covers and curtains… just tell me and I will." She said.

"Thanks, Kerry." AJ nodded, "I really appreciate all of this." She said as Kerry just nodded.

"It's the least I can do." Kerry said, "I-I should have been there for your mother. I was so busy caught up in my own stuff that… I just… I lost track of our friendship and then it was too late." Kerry sighed, having a lot of regrets.

"She still talked about you all the time." AJ smiled, "She wasn't mad or anything. She just missed you." AJ nodded.

"I miss her." Kerry sighed to herself, "Your welcome here has no expiration, ok?" She rubbed AJ's arm softly, "You're part of the family now." She nodded.

"Thank you." AJ nodded and smiled.

"I'll let you unpack your boxes, dinner shouldn't be too long." She told her as AJ nodded, watching her leave the room as she sat her bookbag down alongside her converse.

The room was great. It had a double bed, a closet, a desk for her to do her work at. She was more than grateful for this.

"Did your father call any of you today?" Kerry asked, concentrating on dinner once she headed back downstairs. Dean was playing on his game whilst Punk was taking a before dinner nap on his school books.

"No." Dean said, "Didn't call Phil either." Dean answered for his older brother.

"He said he would." Kerry shook her head.

"He says he'll do a lot of things that he never, ever does." Dean scoffed, "I don't know why you still believe him."

"I don't but… I want to, for your sake." Kerry said.

"He's too busy." Dean shrugged.

"He can make time." Kerry said.

"Do you even know him?" Dean laughed, "He's the world's biggest fraud. Professionally and personally. We're like the poor people to him." He said whilst Kerry continued to do dinner with her back to the boys, sighing to herself, "I'm not being anyone's charity case."

"Phil, you aren't saying much." Kerry turned around to see Punk drooling on his school books, fast asleep, "Oh."

"He's so fucking lazy." Dean rolled his eyes.

"Language." Kerry warned lightly, although she wasn't a strict mother at all, "How does he feel about it?" She asked Dean.

"About dad?" Dean asked as Kerry nodded, "I don't think he cares." Dean said honestly.

"Did he go to his classes today?" Kerry asked.

"I think so." Dean nodded, "Why won't you just let him drop out and get a job? He hates school." He said.

"I want him to get good grades, Dean. Just like I want you to get good grades." Kerry said, "It'll help him get a good job." She nodded as Dean just shook his head, "Go shout on April for dinner." She told him as Dean left the table, "Phil. Wake up, sweetie. Dinner is ready." Kerry patted Punk on the back as he opened his eyes and grumbled, "Tired?"

"Yes." Punk groaned, leaning back and stretching, folding up his books which he really only used for a pillow, sitting them back in his bag.

"Why are you so tired?" Kerry asked him, "Are you getting enough sleep?"

"He's on the phone to Maria all night." Dean walked back into the kitchen as Punk just rolled his eyes.

"I thought you two broke up?" Kerry shook her head.

"We did." Punk said, glaring at Dean.

"She was a nice girl." Kerry nodded to herself.

"I liked looking at her." Dean agreed as Punk booted him under the table as he groaned, meanwhile AJ walked into the kitchen.

"Grab a seat April." Kerry nodded as AJ walked over to the table and sat down beside Punk as it was the closest seat to her.

She didn't feel intimidated by them, because she truly believed nothing could intimidate her after the life she had lived, but there was definitely something in the air. She wasn't sure if they just didn't like her or if, like everyone else, they thought she was invisible.

"You know I hate carrots." Dean frowned.

"Don't be a baby." Kerry said, placing the dinner down and taking a seat beside Dean, "What did everyone learn today then?" She asked curiously.

"Nothing." Punk said.

"I had free classes then gym." Dean answered.

"I uh… l was learning about the cold war." AJ nodded, "In 1947." She said as Punk turned to her and raised a brow.

"Oh, that's interesting." Kerry nodded.

"Is it?" Punk questioned.

"It is actually." AJ nodded to him.

"Is history your favourite class, April?" Kerry asked.

"If she's getting boners over the cold war then I'd think so." Dean nodded.

"I-I like all my classes." AJ nodded quietly.

"Well that's good." Kerry nodded, "You could both learn something from her." She eyed her sons whilst AJ just kept her head down.

Suddenly there was a knock at the door which Punk shot up first to go answer, "I'll get it." Punk said, leaving the table and walking down the hallway to answer the door up as a light brown haired girl stood.

"Hi." Maria smiled to him.

"Hey." Punk nodded, "Are you… are you ok? Why did you wanna come round?" Punk asked his ex whom he had recently broken up with. They dated for just around a year before he started to believe they were just not compatible for each other. They wanted different things. They hung around different people, and it became a conflict at times.

"Yeah, I… I just wanted to run it by you that I'm… I'm going with Mike to the football game on Friday." She nodded, "I don't want you to run into us and it feels like I'm doing something behind your back. I'm not like that." Maria shook her head as he nodded.

"I know you're not." Punk nodded. He still scared about her, but it just didn't feel right anymore. He was surprised she was moving on so quickly but he supposed it was perhaps a coping mechanism, "Thanks for telling me." He said as she nodded.

"I hope we can still be friends, Phil." Maria nodded, "I'd like that." She said as he nodded.

"Yeah, of course we can." Punk nodded to her as she smiled.

"Great." Maria said, "I'll… I better be going then." She said, turning around and leaving the house as Punk closed the door over and walked back through to the kitchen.

"Who was it?" Kerry asked.

"Maria." Punk said.

"She begging you to take her back?" Dean asked.

"Is she your girlfriend?" AJ asked politely as Punk turned to her. She was so softly spoken and subtle, like a soft angel. He didn't know how to read her or take her, but he definitely couldn't turn away.

"She was." Punk nodded, "We broke things off." He said.

"Oh." AJ nodded.

"So why was she there?" Dean asked.

"She was just running things by me. None of your damn business." Punk shook his head whilst AJ just minded her own business and ate her dinner.

She really didn't know anything about either of them. She wasn't surprised that Punk had been dating. He was strangely charming despite his rough dirty appeal. His goofy bandanas, his band shirts and his ripped jeans added to his personality, and something about him just had her so intrigued.

* * *

Later that night, AJ was continuing to fix her room up. She was unpacking some of the boxes she had and shaping the room into somewhere she'd feel safe, somewhere she'd feel at home. She then sat down at her desk to do some of her homework when there was a knock at her door.

"Yeah?" AJ said suspiciously.

"Can I come in?" Dean asked.

"Yeah." AJ nodded with confusion as Dean walked into her room.

"Oh, it looks kinda nice in here now." Dean looked around.

"I still have more things to come." AJ explained, "But yeah, I really like it so far." AJ smiled, wondering if he'd came in to check in on her, which was sweet.

"Yeah." Dean nodded, "Well… since like… we're brother and sister now." He teased, "Would you mind doing this assignment for history for me?" Dean asked, "I just… I don't have the time, you know? And you love history." Dean nodded as AJ looked up at him.

"Uh…" She wasn't sure what to say, "Uh yeah, ok." She shook her head, afraid to say no.

"Great, I'll leave you to it. You can make it sound a little dumb so it's more realistic." He said before closing the door over and leaving the room, walking across to Punk's room, "Hey, are you needing any homework done?" Dean asked as Punk lay on his bed reading a comic.

"No, why?" Punk made a face.

"Well we got a system now, any work we need done, we just ask April, she loves that shit." Dean nodded as Punk shook his head and sat up.

"You're a fucking jerk." Punk said, getting up and pushing by him, walking into AJ's room, "You're not doing any of his homework, alright?" Punk said as she looked up at him and gulped, "You can say no to things, you know." He said as AJ just looked at him, "And you can also slap him. I do it all the time." He said as AJ smiled softly, watching him leave her room.

"Why'd you do that for?" Dean shook his head.

"Because she's spent most of her life tidying up after her mom, Dean. She doesn't need to come here and do the same for us." Punk shook his head, "Mom is right, stop being so damn insensitive."

"Oh, because you've been a saint to her." Dean nodded.

"I'm not getting her to do my work." Punk said, "Just leave her alone. She's been through enough."

"I know you're just grouchy because of Maria." Dean nodded.

"I'm grouchy because you annoy me." Punk shoved him, "Do your own assignments." He said, walking back into his bedroom and closing the door as Dean groaned.

"Idiot." Dean scoffed, walking back into his own bedroom.


	3. Simple Conversation

**Simple Conversation**

* * *

"What's going on in the kitchen?" AJ shook her head as she walked into the living room where Punk and Dean were sat. A week had gone by since she had moved in and things were going as well as she could have hoped. The boys still didn't really interact with her much, but the awkwardness was certainly dying down, "Who is in the kitchen?" She asked, putting her bag down. They still got home before her as they normally took the short cuts and jumped fences.

"Our dad." Punk said.

"Oh." AJ shook her head. She wasn't even aware that they saw their dad, "He sounds-"

"Aggressive?" Dean finished for her, "Yeah, he is." He nodded as AJ took a seat on the chair.

"Is your mom ok in there?" AJ wondered worriedly.

"Yeah, she can handle herself." Punk nodded. They'd come home from school to find their father and mother having a fight in the kitchen.

AJ then looked up as she heard the kitchen door burst open, watching as a man in a suit walked back into the living room as Punk and Dean looked up without much care, "I'll… I'll see you boys later." He nodded to them as Punk and Dean just stared at him, watching as he left the house.

She then watched as Punk and Dean stood up and headed into the kitchen. If there was one thing she knew for certain about them both, it was that they loved their mother very much, and had the upmost respect for her. She liked seeing that.

She also got up and followed them into the kitchen. A part of her did feel like she was part of the family, but a part of her also felt extremely isolated and excluded. She knew that was only natural, and reminded herself that this was the best possible scenario that could have happened to her. She was warm, dressed, fed with a roof under her head. She was just grateful to have that.

"What'd he say?" Punk asked Kerry who wasn't phased by their father's aggression. She'd been used to it before and after their marriage.

"He's moving closer and he wants to start seeing you both a lot more." Kerry nodded.

"Well what if we don't wanna see him?" Dean shook his head.

"That's what I said and he… he lost it." Kerry nodded, "Same old, same old." She shook her head tiredly, "Can't admit the fact he has done nothing for either of you his entire life." She said whilst AJ stood by the door.

"Well we'll tell him straight." Punk shrugged, "It's not about you anymore." He told his mother, "We can speak for ourselves."

"Maybe it'd be good for you guys to… see him more." Kerry nodded, "I mean he's… he's trying, right?" She said, in denial.

"Trying to what?" Punk shook his head with confusion, "The last time I had an actual conversation with the guy was… like three Christmases ago. He doesn't give a shit. He never has." Punk said, "Don't fool yourself into thinking he's still a good guy, because he's not."

"He helped us out when we were broke." Kerry reminded them.

"Oh. Oh, how good of him." Dean said, "It's not like he's supposed to provide for us and help us, is it?" He shook his head, "If he wants to see us then he can talk to us, not scream at you for his own failures." He said as Kerry smiled at them both.

"You're good boys." Kerry smiled, "I just don't want to take the opportunity from you both to have a father." She said.

"We've not had a father in a long time." Punk reminded her, "And we're doing just fine." He said, giving his mom a hug as Kerry smiled.

"Yeah, fuck him." Dean folded his arms as Kerry laughed a little, "He can get one of these if he comes here yelling again." He held his fist up as Punk just rolled his eyes, but of course Kerry was chuckling as Dean tried his hardest to always make his mom laugh.

"I better get dinner started." Kerry nodded, patting Punk's back as she pulled away from the hug.

"I can help." AJ nodded as Kerry smiled.

"Great." Kerry nodded as AJ walked further into the kitchen whilst Punk and Dean disappeared upstairs, "I'm sorry you had to hear all of that, April." Kerry shook her head as AJ began peeling potatoes.

"Oh, don't be ridiculous." AJ said, "I've heard worse." She nodded, "But I didn't know Phil and Dean had contact with their dad." She admitted.

"Well technically they don't. He's full of empty promises." Kerry nodded.

"What does he do?" AJ asked curiously.

"He's got his own company." Kerry said, "He left me when the boys were little for a younger girl." She nodded, "He's successful, I'll give him that but… not at being a dad." She shook her head.

"And you said he's moving closer now?" AJ asked.

"Yeah, apparently. So he can see the boys more often but… Phil is eighteen, Dean is sixteen… I think he's too late at this point." Kerry nodded.

"I guess it's their decision." AJ nodded.

"Yeah." Kerry nodded, "I take it you… never met your dad?" She asked as AJ shook her head.

"My mom barely met my dad." AJ laughed a little as Kerry smiled. She noticed AJ had a dry wit and it actually reminded her of her sons. She was such a pleasure to have around and given what she'd been through, she was such a strong girl.

"Well we all got different stories, right?" Kerry smiled.

"Yeah." AJ smiled.

* * *

Later that night, AJ was lying in bed reading. She'd grown to feel a certain comfort in her room now that she had all of her belongings with her. It was becoming a safe place for her again. She'd finished all her homework and was feasting into some fiction thriller when she heard a knock at her door.

"Yeah?" AJ called.

"It's just me." Punk opened up the door as she sat up a little and shut her book over.

"Hey." AJ smiled. She didn't know why but she felt giddy and happy around him, way more than she did around Dean. There was just something about him that made her so interested in him.

"My mom wants to know if you want some pie? She made some." Punk said, "It's good." He nodded.

"Oh, I'm still stuffed from dinner." AJ admitted.

"I can bring you a slice up if you like?" Punk asked her.

"Oh, I can't… eat up here." She shook her head.

"Have you seen Dean's bedroom?" Punk laughed, "He has like year old sandwiches lying around. I think you'll be fine." He said as she smiled.

"Just a little bit then." AJ nodded.

"Ok." Punk said, leaving the room to go downstairs.

She appreciated him being kind to her. She knew at first they both didn't want her there, but they were almost getting used to it and she appreciated them not pretending she was invisible, well… for the most part.

She looked down at her book and realised that in her trance of staring at Punk, she'd shut her book without bookmarking the page she was on, "AJ." She scoffed to herself, flicking through the chapters again to try and find the page she was on.

By the time she found it, Punk had returned back upstairs with a huge slice of pie for her, walking into her room as she shook her head.

"I said a little bit." She laughed, taking the plate from him.

"That's not little?" Punk asked her curiously.

"No, that's massive." She shook her head as he just shrugged.

Punk could see she was actually coming out of her shell. She wasn't like how he imagined her being. She was sweet and down to earth. Smart as hell and very clearly strong. Not to mention, she was beautiful.

"What you don't eat just send it over to me." Punk shrugged as she just nodded, taking a forkful.

"That's really good." AJ nodded.

"Right." Punk nodded in agreement, "What are you reading?" He picked her book up.

"Oh, it's… just a thriller." AJ shook her head.

"Man, you must have started this ages ago." He laughed as he saw she was almost finished the book which had a lot of pages.

"Actually I… started it last night." She smiled.

"Seriously?" Punk asked her, "You're quick." He shook his head, sitting the book back down.

"I read in school too, in my free classes. It's what I wanna do so-"

"You wanna be a writer?" Punk asked her.

"Yeah." AJ nodded, "I know it's not particularly smart. I'm better going to college and doing something realistic but… it's what I wanna do."

"Hey, no… you do you." Punk nodded, "It'll be a good career once you get going." He said as AJ nodded.

"Yeah, I think so." AJ smiled, "I'm real sorry about all that stuff with your dad." She shook her head.

"Oh, don't be." Punk waved his hand, "He's not worth it." He shrugged, "Me and Dean are better off I'd say." He said as AJ just nodded.

"When did he leave?" AJ asked, hoping she wasn't being too forward but, they were living together, she thought it was acceptable for her to get to know them both.

"I was 9 I think, Dean was 7. He just left. And he's got this thing over my mom because he got us out of debt and he paid a couple of bills but… that's what he's supposed to have done. He's not a saint." Punk shook his head.

"So you think you'll go see him? You and Dean?" AJ asked him continuing to eat the pie whilst Punk leaned against her room wall, his hands in his pockets.

"I don't know. I don't think so. He… he does nothing for us. We're not his priority so… he's not gonna be mine." He said as AJ nodded.

"Yeah, I guess it goes both ways." She nodded.

"Yeah." Punk agreed.

"Ok, you gotta take this away, I'm already feeling sick." She shook her head after a few mouthfuls.

"You barely ate anything." Punk laughed, taking the plate back from her.

"I'm full. I only wanted a little bit." She shook her head.

"Well you don't gotta worry about wasting food in this house. It goes to someone." He nodded as she just smiled, "I'll uh… I'll let you get back to reading." He nodded.

A part of her wanted to say no and ask him to stay and talk to her. She liked when he talked to her. He had a calming voice, a beautiful smile and she just got lost in his eyes. She felt bad for literally having a crush. Was she supposed to see him as a big brother? Did he view her as a little sister? She was very confused and wondered if it was best to avoid the situation when it came down to it.

"I'll finish this tonight." AJ nodded, picking her book back up.

"Hope it's good for you." Punk said as she smiled, watching as he left her room and closed the door over as she collapsed back against her pillows and smiled to herself, and then rolled her eyes at how a simple conversation with him had made her feel so good.

Meanwhile Punk was coming out of AJ's bedroom when Dean opened his door.

"What are you doing in there?" Dean smirked.

"I was giving AJ some pie." Punk said.

"You sure it wasn't her giving you some pie?" Dean smirked as Punk rolled his eyes.

"Go away." Punk shoved him as Dean just followed him.

"You totally think she's hot, don't you? You're always staring at her." Dean said.

"No I'm not." Punk shook his head, "I don't think she's hot. She's… she's like our little sister, well… my little sister." He said.

"A little sister you find hot." Dean said in a funny voice.

"No." Punk said defensively, "She's still weird and awkward." He said.

"You told me to be nice to her." Dean said.

"Yeah, because it's a decent thing to do, Dean. She's got nothing. She found her mom all… dead and… overdosed. She's been through shit." Punk said, "I don't wanna make her life worse." He said.

"Wait, did she find her?" Dean asked as Punk nodded, "Shit." Dean groaned, "I mean I feel bad for her but… she's just so weird. I can't have a normal conversation with her."

"Well try." Punk said.

"I still think you got a boner for her." Dean shrugged.

"Oh, go away. Get out of my room." Punk said, throwing a pillow at him as Dean just laughed and left the room.


	4. Bad Bet

**Bad Bet**

* * *

"Hey can I… sit down here?" AJ asked, standing in the school cafeteria with her lunch at the table which Punk, Dean and a few of Dean's friends were sitting. She'd unlocked some sort of bravery with herself due to living with Punk and Dean. She normally sat by herself at lunch and she was normally fine with that, but she thought that perhaps company wouldn't be such a bad thing.

"Uh…" Dean looked at his friends awkwardly who were all sniggering and laughing a little.

"Sit." Punk nodded before Dean got the chance to reply.

"Thanks." AJ nodded, sitting down across from Punk, beside Dean.

"Dean you coming out with us tonight?" One of Dean's friends, Johnny asked from across the table.

"Yeah I'll be there." Dean said.

"Ok, let's split." Johnny nodded to his crew, standing up from the table.

"Where you guys going?" Dean shook his head.

"We're not sitting with weirdo wendy." Johnny laughed as AJ looked over at him, "Plus, we gotta get ready for practise." He said as they all left the table quickly whilst Dean sat and glared over at Punk.

"Where you going tonight then?" Punk asked, having ignored the guys comments. He didn't really have friends of his own either, he spoke to a few kids here and there, and he mostly hung around with Dean's friends. They were annoying and stupid but some of them were alright.

"Out." Dean said, angry that his friends had ditched him so that AJ could sit with them, "Don't you sit somewhere else in this place?" He turned to AJ, "I mean we all got our designated seats, this ain't yours." He said.

"I just thought-"

"What? You thought because our mom adopted you that you can follow us around like a lost puppy?" Dean asked.

"Dean." Punk shook his head.

"Here." Dean slid his tray over to Punk, "I'm getting out of here." He shook his head, getting up from the seat and walking away as AJ picked at her food and kept her head down as Punk looked across at her.

"It's like I got a disease or something." AJ shook her head. She was used to people saying things about her. She was aware that everyone knew what happened to her mom, and her mom's situation. She heard the whispers about her.

"They're all jerks." Punk shrugged, "Including Dean."

"I don't know why he hates me so much." AJ shook her head.

"He's just an angsty teen. He'll grow out of it." Punk nodded, biting into his second burger whilst he saw at the corner of his eye his ex-girlfriend approaching the table he was sitting at.

"Phil." Maria smiled as Punk dropped his burger and looked up, "Hey." Maria smiled to him as Punk just nodded.

"Hey." Punk said, "How you doing?" He asked her as AJ looked up at Maria.

"I'm good." Maria smiled, turning to AJ, "Who is… Who is this?" She asked.

"AJ." Punk said, "She's staying with us now. Our moms were friends and… she's came to live with us now." Punk explained without going into too much detail which AJ was glad.

"Oh, so like a little sister?" Maria smiled.

"Exactly that." Punk nodded as AJ's smile faded a little and she looked down. She was almost upset that he had said that, but she wasn't shocked, he was supposed to treat her like a little sister.

"Well that's cute." Maria smiled, "He's very protective." She nodded to AJ who just forced a smile and nodded, "I kinda miss you." She admitted whilst AJ sipped on her juice box, making a lot of noise with it as it began to ran out of juice.

"Yeah, I miss you too." Punk nodded, "How's it going with Mike? Good?" He asked her as she nodded.

"Yeah, it is." Maria nodded, "I better going, I have extra tutor before class." She said, "I'll see you around?" She said, in almost a questioned tone.

"Yeah, see you around." Punk said as Maria walked off.

"You still like her." AJ stated as Punk turned to her.

"Huh?" Punk shook his head.

"You still like her." AJ shrugged.

"No. I don't." Punk said, "We're long over." He said casually.

"You still look at her like you care about her." AJ nodded.

"I care about her but… there's no relationship anymore." Punk shook his head.

"I don't know." AJ smiled. In the midst of being foolishly hurt that he looked upon her as a sister, she could also see he still had eyes for his ex. She didn't understand why that hurt her so much. It wasn't like he would ever like her back, and she wasn't even sure if her crush on him was functional.

"If I say I'm over her then I'm over her." Punk said, a little more angrier, "Alright?" He shook his head.

"Ok, calm down-"

"Whatever. I'm gonna get to class." Punk shook his head, standing up and leaving the table as AJ ran her hand through her hair and sighed.

* * *

"Do you know where your little brother is tonight?" Kerry asked, walking into the living room later that night, handing Punk the bowl of popcorn she'd just made before sitting back down beside him.

"No idea. Out drinking on the streets probably." He grumbled.

"Don't say that." Kerry sighed, "He's with his friends, right?"

"Yeah, all of those super responsible friends he has." Punk nodded sarcastically.

"I shouted on April to come join us but… she didn't answer. I hope she's alright up there." Kerry admitted as Punk just shrugged, "Go, go see if she wants to come down. I hate that she spends so much time in her room."

"You go." Punk said childishly.

"It'd mean more to her coming from you." Kerry said, "Go." She pinched him as Punk shook his head and gave her the popcorn, standing up and heading upstairs.

He was in his shorts and t-shirt. He wasn't into partying and getting drunk like his irresponsible little brother did. He'd rather sit in and watch a movie instead.

Punk walked upstairs and turned around the corner, walking into AJ's room, "AJ?" He said.

"Oh my god." AJ quickly grabbed the towel from the bed, holding it over herself as she was only standing in her panties after coming out of the shower, in the middle of getting dressed.

"I didn't see anything." Punk immediately closed the door back over. He'd only saw her bare back and out of respect and natural instinct he looked away, "I'm sorry." He sighed, groaning to himself and placing his finger and thumb over the bridge of his nose.

"What do you want?" AJ asked. She was still upset with how she had been treated at lunch by both Dean and especially Punk. Somehow it hurt more coming from him. She didn't expect anything from him, but to be dismissed by him like she was invisible, was beginning to hurt, as he had been becoming the one person who wasn't treating her that way. She knew her feelings would settle down and she'd move past the crush, but for now she just felt vulnerable in all aspects.

"Uh…" Punk groaned, trying to get her body out of his mind. She had the most gorgeous caramel skin that looked so soft, and her hair was wet trickling down her back, he was appalled at himself for thinking about her in that way, "We're watching a movie downstairs." He said through the door, "Wanted to know if you… wanted to join us?" Punk questioned whilst continuing to cringe.

"Uh… no, thank you." AJ answered as she put her bra on along with her sleeping shorts and tank top.

"Ok." Punk said, walking back down the stairs, shaking his head and collapsing back on the couch in the living room, "She said she's fine."

* * *

Meanwhile Dean was out with his friends. He lived life on the edge. He got drunk when he wasn't supposed to. Smoked. Made out with different girls. He had no shame which was what got him through.

"Hey, Dean." Johnny nodded, walking over to Dean who was sitting with a girl in his class, smoking outside the house which they were in for the night.

"I'm talking to Lizzy." Dean said to Johnny and some of the other guys who were with him.

"I'm sure Lizzy will come back." Johnny said, shooing the girl away who headed back inside, "We were just talking about something funny."

"What's that?" Dean said, blowing smoke into the cold Chicago air as he sat on the back step.

"Your new sister." Johnny laughed a little, "How funny would she be after a few drinks?" He asked.

"Probably not funny." Dean said, "Why?"

"C'mon, she could be a good laugh." Johnny nodded, "I mean she's sexy as hell she's just… a little weird." He said as they all nodded in agreement.

"Then just leave her alone." Dean shrugged.

"No, I want you to bring her out next weekend." Johnny said, "Let her get to know us. You might end up having the coolest sister ever." He smiled.

"She won't wanna come out. She's like Phil. She likes reading books and staying in." Dean said.

"Well then convince her to come out. Let her loosen up. I mean, she could do with a drink after dealing with her psycho mother her entire life." Johnny said as Dean looked at him.

"How'd you know about her mom?" Dean asked

"Everyone knows." Johnny said, "She used to come into class last year with scratches on her arms. And she missed like practically a whole semester. Someone said they saw her come out of the psych ward in hospital." Johnny said, "She needs to let her hair down and we… are the perfect people to help her."

"Whatever man." Dean said, slowing blowing out the smoke from his cigarette, "Go away now, and tell Lizzy to come back." He said as Johnny just laughed and nodded, patting Dean on the back as he walked back inside with the rest of the group of guys.

"Alright ten bucks says I can get my hands in her pants." One of them nodded.

"Twenty I can get her to suck my dick." One added.

"Nah, forget that weak shit. I'm gonna get her drunk and then sleep with her. See what the little freak has to offer." Johnny chuckled.

* * *

Punk was heading up to bed later that night after watching the movie, getting to the top of the stairs just in time as he saw AJ leaving the bathroom to head into her bedroom, bumping into him, fully clothed thankfully.

"S-Sorry." AJ shook her head.

"No, wait… I'm sorry. I shouldn't have barged into your room like that. I forget cause I'm used to barging into Dean's room." He said as she just nodded, "And I'm sorry for taking off at lunch today." He shook his head, for some reason, hurting her felt worse on him that it probably did on her, and he didn't understand why that was.

"It's fine. I'm used to it." She shrugged.

"Well you shouldn't have to be." Punk shook his head. He thought she was a very strong, bright and well-kept together person, but he also saw a lot of pain and sadness in her, "You've lost a lot. You don't need people being dicks to you." He sighed.

"Like I said." AJ shrugged, "I'm used to it. Thanks for apologising though, I don't think I've ever heard an apology from someone before." She said, "Goodnight." She said, walking by him and into her room as Punk sighed, sensing that she was already hurt and not wishing to talk it out, which she had every right to feel that way. He just wondered why he felt so inclined to make sure she was ok. He knew it definitely wasn't because he looked at her as a little sister. He knew for sure that wasn't it due to how much he couldn't get her body out of his mind.

She was different, and she was drawing him in somehow.


	5. Look Out For Her

**Look Out For Her**

* * *

"Where are you going?" Punk shook his head, a week later as he saw AJ walking out of the bathroom, looking a lot more dressed up than usual, especially for late on at night.

"Dean invited me out." AJ said, walking off into her room as Punk laughed and followed her.

"What?" Punk laughed, "You're kidding, right?" He asked.

"No." AJ shrugged.

"Dean? Invited you out to go hang out with his friends? His disgusting, jerk friends?" Punk shook his head with confusion. He was immediately bothered by this, especially since AJ had pretty much avoided him all week after their little bust up.

"Yeah, he did." AJ nodded, "Why? You got a problem with that?" She asked him, putting her jacket on.

"You're not a party girl." Punk said.

"Are you telling me or asking me that?" AJ looked at him.

"Well I'm… telling you. It's a fact. I know you'd rather be here reading a book or something." He said as she just nodded. It was strange how well he knew her just after a couple of weeks of being there.

"Dean said it'd be good for me to… get to know his friends, they wanna hang out and… I never go out so… what the hell?" AJ shrugged. At first she thought Dean was joking when he asked her out, but when she realised he was being serious, and that apparently his friends wanted to get to know her, she just felt encouraged to go. When she was with her mom, she never got the chance to go out and experience parties and socialising, and she thought it was nice of Dean to ask her.

"Are you sure Dean is being sincere?" Punk asked her.

"Yes." AJ said, "What? You think he's gonna abandon me in the middle of nowhere?" AJ asked.

"Well I just know he can be a little stupid sometimes, you know." Punk said.

"If I get bored or uncomfortable, I'm a big girl, I can come home." AJ told him, "I don't know why you're so concerned." She said, tucking her hair out from underneath her coat as he looked at her. She was absolutely stunning. She was a natural beauty and as time went by, he couldn't stop thinking about her, even when he tried not to.

"Well I just hope you're careful. I know the group Dean roles with. Some are from the other side of town. Things can get weird." Punk said. For some reason, he was worried about her. The thought of her being in an uncomfortable situation, or being in danger really bothered him, more than he thought it would.

"I'll be fine." AJ rolled her eyes, "I get it though, you're supposed to be my big brother." She mimicked, almost making fun of the concept as he just looked at her.

"Yeah, whatever." Punk made a funny face, leaving her bedroom and walking across to Dean's, "What the hell are you up to?" Punk asked him.

"What?" Dean shook his head.

"Why are you inviting AJ out with you and your weird friends?" Punk asked him, "Where'd that come from?"

"Johnny wants to get to know her and maybe it'd be good to get her socialising. Maybe it wouldn't make her so damn awkward." Dean said, "Don't worry, I'll keep my eye on her." He rolled his eyes, "I'm not gonna forget she's there."

"Dean, I know the people you role with. I'm serious. Keep an eye on her." Punk nodded.

"Yeah, ok. Keep your panties on." Dean said, "She'll be fine. It'll be good for her. She might even make some friends. Mom thinks it's a good idea."

"Mom doesn't know the type of people you hang out with." Punk said.

"You act like I'm friends with serial killers." Dean scoffed.

"May as well be." Punk shook his head, "Just keep your eye on her, yeah?"

"Yes, ok!" Dean nodded with frustration, "I will." He said.

* * *

Dean and AJ headed out later on and arrived at the designated house of one of Dean's friends where the party for the weekend was taking place. Dean introduced AJ to everyone and some people didn't even recognise it was her.

Dean left her talking to some of the girls who were there and found himself the alcohol in the kitchen with the rest of his friends.

AJ was feeling a little uncomfortable at first as she spoke to some of the girls. She just wasn't used to the type of setting but she tried her best to ease into it and relax. She knew she was just terrible at overthinking things.

"April, you want a drink?" Johnny asked, "We got a ton out in the kitchen." He said.

"Uh… no, I'm not bothering with any drink." AJ told him. She was fine with soda and wasn't ashamed to say that.

"You sure?" Johnny frowned, "It's not hardcore stuff." He laughed a little as AJ just shook her head. She was a little concerned as to why these people were being so nice to her all of a sudden, but part of her just wanted to believe they were doing it out of the kindness of their hearts.

"Really, I'm ok." AJ nodded.

"Fair enough." Johnny said, "At least let me top you up. What's that? Grape soda?" He asked, taking her almost empty cup from her.

"Uh yeah." AJ nodded.

"I'll be back." He smiled, walking on out to the kitchen with her cup, walking over to the kitchen counter where some other friends were, "Where's Dean at?"

"He's out with Lizzy." One of them said, "You're not actually gonna spike her, are you?"

"Yeah." Johnny laughed, "My big brother gave me this shit he got from in the city. Said she'll be out of it after five minutes." He said, taking a small test tube like bottle from his back pocket.

"I don't know about this." One of them said, suddenly getting concerned, "She's just here to have a good time like the rest of us."

"She wants people talking about her, I know she does." Johnny nodded, spiking AJ's drink, "This will have people talking. She'll go from the weird psycho chick to girl who puts out after one drink in one night." Johnny laughed as the others just watched with concern, "What? Lighten up. It's just a bit of fun. She knows it. I know it."

"Does she know it?" One of them questioned.

"Yeah, shut up." Johnny said, walking back out of the kitchen and approaching AJ who was talking to a girl, "Here you go, April." He smiled.

"Thank you." AJ nodded to him, taking the cup and immediately taking a sip as Johnny smiled, backing away a little and watching AJ from afar as she progressively began to lose her consciousness the more she drank her drink.

AJ wasn't sure what was happening, she just felt very numb and dizzy all of a sudden, like the whole room was spinning. She was wondering if she was about to faint, or if she was about to throw up, so she excused herself as best she could from the girl she was talking to and stumbled her way over to the stairs.

It was then she realised that she could barely even move, and her sight was starting to go fuzzy and distorted as she tried to climb the stairs.

Johnny followed after her and just as she was about to go into what she thought was the toilet, he come up behind her and took a hold of her.

"I uh… the toilet?" AJ shook her head, leaning against his body as she felt herself lose feeling in her legs.

"It's alright, this way." Johnny nodded, walking into one of the bedrooms and closing the door over, locking it behind him.

Meanwhile Dean was outside smoking with Lizzy, a little tipsy on whatever alcohol he had been drinking, when one of his friends, Mark, came running out to him.

"Hey, Dean." Mark said.

"What?" Dean shook his head, "I'm fucking talking to Lizzy, alright?" He said.

"It's April. We-We think Johnny is gonna do something." Mark said with concern as Dean looked up.

"What are you talking about?" Dean asked with drunk eyes.

"He put something in her drink and now he's-he's away upstairs with her. We were kidding on and betting about doing stuff with her but… none of us were actually being serious… and we didn't know he was-"

"What the fuck?" Dean stood up, "Where are they?" He asked, getting to his feet and stumbling up the steps into the kitchen.

"Upstairs in a room I think." Mark said as Dean drunkenly stumbled through the house and headed upstairs, getting to the top and banging on the only closed door.

"Johnny, what are you doing in there?!" Dean yelled, trying to open the door but being drunk was making it harder, and suddenly his drunken mind began to worry and panic. He done what his drunk brain only knew what to do. Call his big brother.

* * *

"It's good April is getting out of the house, right?" Kerry said whilst Punk made a snack in the kitchen, "I mean going by what you say, she doesn't have many friends, so… it's good she's getting out. And she looked so beautiful." She shook her head, "She's just been through so much. My heart hurts for her."

"Somehow I don't think Dean's friends are gonna be compatible with her." Punk shook his head.

"Dean's friends are nice." Kerry said.

"Yeah, the one's you've met." Punk scoffed, "He's friends with some real horrors."

"Don't be like that." Kerry rolled her eyes as Punk felt his phone vibrating in his pocket, pulling it out and shaking his head.

"Speaking of the little worm." Punk said, answering the call, "Hey, what's up?" Punk answered, balancing his phone between his ear and shoulder as he buttered his sandwich, pausing as he heard Dean drunkenly ask him for help, "Wait, what?" Punk shook his head, putting the knife down and holding the phone.

As soon as he could make out what Dean was saying, he asked for an address and immediately took off out the house before his mother could even question anything.

Luckily, the house wasn't far and Punk ran down the block, cutting a few short cuts that he knew before running into the house, pushing by people and rushing up the stairs where he saw Dean standing outside the door.

"It's locked. I don't know what to do." Dean shook his head as Punk began busting the door with his shoulder, continuing to push against it, switching and using his foot before the door finally burst open off the lock.

Punk only saw red as he saw Johnny leaning over AJ, his phone in his hand recording her and her jeans undone as she was very much not conscious or capable to give any consent.

"You're dead." Punk spat, running into the room and grabbing Johnny around the neck, pushing him up against the wall and choking him with anger, "What'd you give her?!" Punk yelled whilst Dean placed his hand over his mouth and made his way over to AJ.

"It's just… just some drug my brother gave me. It's not gonna hurt her." Johnny said, as though what he'd done was now ok.

"And you thought she was on fit condition to agree to what you were gonna do?" Punk spat, "Huh?" He banged Johnny's head off the wall, "You're sick." He spat, snatching the phone from him throwing it on the ground and stomping on it hard as it smashed and broke.

"That's my phone!" Johnny moaned as Punk grabbed him by the neck again.

"Boo fucking hoo." Punk choked him, "If I see you anywhere near her again, if I see you look in her direction or mention her name, I'll kill you." Punk spat as Johnny gulped and nodded, tears almost rising in his eyes.

"Ok ok." Johnny said as Punk let him go where he immediately scrambled out of the room.

Punk then turned his attention to AJ who Dean was over by.

"Do you think he did anything?" Dean worried, "She's out of it." He said, shaking AJ a little who had now gone completely unconscious.

"I don't know." Punk placed his hand on her forehead, buttoning AJ's jeans back up and putting her jacket back on her, "Go get water." He told his brother who nodded and left the room to get water.

When he was worried tonight, when AJ told him he was going out, this was the type of scenario he was worried about, and it hurt him to see that her vulnerability had been taken advantage of. He'd never been this angry before.

"April." Punk said, sitting down on the bed, shaking her a little as she blinked her eyes open and closed, "April, it's Phil." He said, "Hey." He said as she looked up at him, still out of it and suddenly not remembering where she even was, but seeing him was a sight that eased her somehow.

"Here." Dean fell into the room and passed him water as Punk shook his head, "Oh, she's awake."

"Ok, sit up." Punk said, helping AJ sit up as she slumped against his body, which told him she clearly didn't have function anywhere, "Ok, take a drink." He said, lowering the cup to her mouth as she took a sip, "You're ok." Punk nodded, trying to make her feel as safe as possible, "You want another drink?" He asked her as he then watched her throw up on his lap, putting his hands up as he looked down as Dean placed his hand over his mouth.

The weird thing was, he didn't even care. He just wanted her to be ok. That was all he cared about at that moment, and so when he saw her throw up again over him, he just held her hair back and rubbed her back softly.

"I'll… I'll get a towel." Dean fell back out of the room.

"It's ok." Punk nodded as she leaned back against his arm, feeling ill, confused and unaware of what was even going on around her, she just know she could hear his voice.

"Here." Dean said, running back into the room and handing Punk the towel as Punk cleaned himself up as best he could.

"We're getting out of here right now." Punk said, "You too." Punk told Dean who just gulped and nodded.

"Can she walk?" Dean asked as Punk got up and helped AJ to her feet as she fell against him.

"I can hold her up." Punk nodded, "Let's just go." Punk shook his head.

* * *

After walking home, practically carrying AJ the entire way, they eventually got home and just so they could sort themselves out, they told their mother that AJ just had too much to drink. They didn't want to say anything until they talked to AJ herself.

Punk took her upstairs and into her bedroom. AJ was conscious but she couldn't speak and move much of her body. She just felt limp and numb.

Punk sat her down on the bed and grabbed out her pyjamas as Dean stood at the door, "You can go away now." Punk told his brother angrily.

"Are you going to take her clothes off?" Dean worried.

"She has sick all over her. I'm not letting her sleep like this. Go away." Punk told him as Dean just left the room as Punk took AJ's clothes off as gently and as subtly as he could, "I'm real sorry about this." Punk told her as she just looked at him.

It scared him to see how out of it she was, because he knew if someone did try to do things to her, she really wouldn't have been able to fight them off in any way possible.

He got her into her pyjamas and cleaned the sick out of her hair before helping her into bed, "I'm gonna put these in the wash, and then I'm gonna come back with a bucket in case you're sick again, and some water." He told her before leaving the room to fulfil those duties.

He returned back into her room shortly after, sitting the bucket down by her bed and the glass of water on the night stand, "I'm so sorry about this." Punk sighed. He was so angry. He'd never felt anger like it. Thankfully he believed Johnny never did anything as he was more interested in his phone when he got into the room. But he wasn't going to assume anything. He was just terrified of what AJ would feel like when she regained proper consciousness. Seeing her hurt was becoming something that immediately affected him, and he knew why that was, he just didn't want to accept it.

He left the bedroom and closed the door over a little, walking out into the hall where Dean was standing, sobering up a little.

"I told you to look out for her." Punk gritted his teeth, "Your best friend just tried to rape her." He spat.

"I-I didn't know." Dean shook his head.

"You didn't know you were friends with a rapist?" Punk spat.

"He's never done anything like that before." Dean said, "I saw AJ having a good time with one of the girls, she was talking to her and… then someone came and got me to tell me about Johnny putting something in her drink. C'mon, I wouldn't have put her in any danger."

"He should be reported for what he tried to do." Punk said.

"I know I… I can't believe he would try to do something like that." Dean said. He was angry just like Punk, and a little more traumatised.

"I'm going to shower." Punk said, "Just go to bed." He told his brother before walking into the bathroom whilst Dean ran his hands through his hair.


	6. Being There

**Being There**

* * *

AJ woke up the next morning, feeling slightly under the weather, having no memory of what happened the previous night, looking down as she saw the bucket by her bed and the glass of water.

She slowly sat up in bed, placing her hand on her forehead. The night had gotten extremely hazy in her memory from when she and Dean got to the party. She didn't remember coming home or going to bed or even getting out of her clothes into pyjamas, and that immediately concerned her. She knew for sure she wasn't drinking, and so she was beginning to panic.

She got up out of bed and left her room, walking into the bathroom to wash her face and brush her teeth. She then left the bathroom and walked downstairs, walking into the kitchen which was empty. She knew Kerry worked a weekend job cleaning offices, but she was sure Punk and Dean would have been in the house.

She walked out of the kitchen and into the living room where Punk was sitting watching TV. Somehow she felt relief when she saw him.

"Morning." AJ got his attention as he turned around.

"Oh, hey." Punk sat up, glad to see her actually awake, "How are you?" He asked her, sitting up as AJ walked over to the couch and took a seat.

"Honestly… I…" AJ placed her hand on her forehead, "I'm freaking out a little." She said as he nodded, which confused her as he looked like he knew she was freaking out, "I can't remember anything about… last night." She said, "But I wasn't drinking." She said, she for sure knew she wasn't drinking. Everything had just wiped her mind.

"I had to come get you." Punk nodded as she looked at him, "There was… an incident." He said. He had a hunch she wouldn't have remembered anything, and so he was preparing himself to tell her.

"An incident?" AJ questioned.

"Yeah." Punk nodded, "Dean called me. Johnny put something in your drink, I don't know what… and he took you upstairs." He said as AJ's face immediately dropped as she looked at him, "I don't what he was gonna do." Punk said, "When I got in the door he was fully clothed and so were you, his phone was out but I smashed it up." Punk shook his head as AJ placed her hands over her mouth, "I'm with you if… if you wanna report him to… to the police or to the school." Punk nodded.

"What if he did something to me?" AJ's voice cracked as Punk looked at her. Having no memory of anything was absolutely terrifying when she realised that one of the boys had taken her into a room with obvious intentions for a certain activity. It was terrifying that she couldn't remember if something had happened or not and she felt so small.

"Dean said that he'd just went into the room and… when I got in he was just standing over you. Your jeans were undone but… he was fully clothed." Punk nodded as AJ placed her hand on her forehead and looked down.

"Why would he do that?" AJ shook her head, trying not to let herself get upset in front of him, even though she believed she was allowed to be upset over this. She just felt like nothing was going right. When she kept herself to herself, she got called names, when she ventured out and tried to get to know people, they took advantage of her and played her like a fool. She felt so small and stupid.

"Because he's a disgusting little boy." Punk said, "And he'll get what he deserves at one point." Punk nodded.

"How did you get me home?" AJ shook her head.

"Me and Dean sort of… carried you. And I got you into your pyjamas. I'm sorry if that upsets you and makes you feel weird but… you'd thrown up everywhere and I wasn't gonna let you sleep in your own vomit." Punk shook his head as she groaned.

She felt so embarrassed for the state she was in, even though she clearly wasn't in control of what happened to her, it was natural to feel embarrassed, yet the thought of him taking care of her and being there for her was something that made her feel just that little bit safe.

"I'm so sorry." AJ rolled her eyes.

"What?" Punk shook his head, "Why are you saying sorry to me?" Punk asked her with confusion.

"For being in such a state and… being sick and having you come get me-"

"AJ you were spiked." Punk said, "Don't apologise to me. I'm just glad you're ok." Punk nodded.

"I don't know how I'm feeling." AJ admitted. Having no memory of what happened was the worst thing, because she couldn't figure out how she was even feeling. Punk being there and witness to what had happened made her believe that nothing had actually happened to her, but just the thought of what could have happened if he didn't show up, it made her stomach turn. She was so glad he got there when he did, "Thank you for… helping me." AJ shook her head as Punk just nodded.

"It's ok." Punk nodded. He was just extremely glad to see her more conscious than last night and to be able to comfort her was a nice thing that he secretly enjoyed. He realised last night that the level of concern he had over her wellbeing was suspicious.

"I just feel like nothing is… going right." AJ shook her head, trying to hold back her tears as she wiped the corners of her eyes where a few drops had escaped as he watched her, "I should never have gone out."

"No, that's not what you say to this. This wasn't your fault. You went out to meet people and talk to people, there's absolutely nothing wrong with that. What Johnny did, that was wrong and fucked up." Punk nodded, "He took advantage of you as a person, trying to come out of your shell and that's wrong." He said as AJ looked at him, "Do not blame yourself for this." He told her as she just nodded. She was taken back by how triggered he was by all of this. She saw the good heart he had and it made her drawn into him even more.

"I don't think I'll go out again." AJ laughed through her tears as Punk smiled.

"You don't have to change to fit in." Punk nodded, "Just be yourself. Someone… will love you for that." He said as she smiled, drying her eyes, "And don't be upset." He sighed, "I don't like when girls cry." He said as she smiled.

"I'm such a mess." AJ shook her head. A part of her just felt all over the place. Ever since her mother had died, it was like her routine had left. She used to be so focused on doing everything in the house, looking after her mother through episodes, doing different jobs to get cash in hand at the end of the week so they could pay bills. Now she just felt like time had stopped and she didn't know what she was doing. She just knew she believed every word he said.

"Are you gonna report him?" Punk asked her.

"I want to." AJ nodded, "But… how can I when I don't even remember?"

"Well that's just it, he can get charged just for spiking you. And it can be attempted rape. Just because he didn't do anything doesn't mean you just have to ignore it." Punk reminded her as she nodded.

"He's seventeen, it was a party, he'll say I wanted it and it'll be brushed aside." AJ shook her head as Punk just sighed.

"If you want to report it, I'll come with you." Punk nodded.

"I-I don't know." AJ shook her head as Punk could see she was clearly confused and still trying to take it all in.

"Just… take some time to yourself." Punk nodded, "I warned him not to come near you again so… he won't be bothering you." He said as AJ just looked at him. She'd underestimated how much he cared. When she first met him he seemed cold and unaffectionate but she could see he had a big heart in disguise.

"Thank you." AJ nodded just as Dean appeared into the living room.

"Hey." Dean nodded as AJ turned around.

"Hi." AJ said.

"I'm really sorry I wasn't keeping a better eye on you." Dean said, cutting to the chase as he normally did, "I feel really bad." He admitted.

"You weren't supposed to be babysitting me." AJ said, "It's fine."

"No, it's not fine. If I knew Johnny was… If I knew that's what he was gonna do I… I wouldn't have let you come… hell, I wouldn't have went. I-I don't wanna be around anyone who does that or thinks it's ok to do that to a girl." Dean said, "And I'm sorry it almost happened to you."

"It's not your fault." AJ shook her head, "I don't blame you." She said. It was the first time she had seen a genuine side to Dean.

"Ok." Dean nodded, "I-I won't be hanging around Johnny anymore." He made clear.

"Well obviously." Punk said.

"Can you… remember anything?" Dean asked.

"No." AJ shook her head, "I don't remember anything. I'm hoping it comes back to me but… I just… I can't remember any of it." She said.

"Are you gonna report him?" Dean asked.

"I don't know." AJ shook her head, "I… I'm just trying to let it sink in. I should have just stayed at home and read a book." She rolled her eyes, "I don't even like parties." She sighed.

"Stop doing that." Punk said as AJ turned to him, "Blaming yourself and your decisions. Whether you went to the party or not, what he did was wrong and he shouldn't have done it." He said, "And there's nothing wrong with you wanting to socialise with other people."

"Yeah." Dean agreed, "Lizzy thought you were really cool actually." Dean nodded as AJ smiled, "This wasn't your fault."

It was the first time she felt them protecting her and it felt good because she hadn't been protected by anyone her entire life. To feel like she had someone to lean on wasn't something she was used to.

"I just wanna stay in bed all day." AJ shook her head, "Am I allowed to do that?" She laughed a little.

"You do what you want." Punk nodded, "Go chill out." He said as she smiled and nodded.

"I'm gonna shower first. I think I still have some sick in my hair." She shook her head.

"Yeah I tried to get it all out but I just wanted you to get some sleep last night." He said as she just nodded, leaving the living room and heading upstairs as Punk turned to Dean.

"Did you tell her everything?" Dean asked.

"Yeah." Punk nodded, "It's fucking ridiculous. How he thought he could do that to her. She doesn't deserve any of this." Punk shook his head. He wasn't sure if he was angry because he knew what AJ had been through, or if he was angry because he cared about her more than he was letting on.

"I spoke to Mark, he said he hasn't heard from Johnny." Dean said.

"Yeah, because I smashed his phone." Punk said.

"Oh, yeah." Dean remembered, "I feel so bad for… not looking out for her." He sighed, running his hand through his hair.

"It's not your fault." Punk nodded, "How were you to know something like that was gonna happen?" Punk asked, "I just hate how they picked on her." He said, "You better stay away from him." He warned.

"I don't want nothing to do with him." Dean nodded, "You think she'll report him?"

"I don't know. It's her decision. I hope she does. Little shit deserves to pay for thinking he could get away with that." Punk shook his head, his blood boiling every time he thought it.

"You think she'll be ok?" Dean worried.

"She's a strong girl." Punk said.

"You were really good with her last night." Dean nodded, "I-I didn't know what to do." He admitted.

"The main thing is she's ok." Punk nodded, "And if she needs to talk about it then we're there, right?" He looked at Dean to make sure he nodded.

"Yeah, right." Dean nodded.

"Go make breakfast." Punk said as Dean nodded and headed off into the kitchen.

* * *

 **A/N: Thanks for all the reviews! Glad you're enjoying it and stay tuned for more. I'm excited for this one.**


	7. No Support

**No Support**

* * *

"Hey, you ok?" Punk asked, walking into AJ's room where the door was opened. He thought it was important that they made sure she was ok. He didn't know where her head was at and it was just awful what she had to go through. He couldn't imagine being so blacked out that she couldn't remember if something even happened to her the previous night. It must have been terrifying.

"I'm ok." AJ nodded, sitting on the bed against the headboard where she had just been reading her book and doing some homework all day, trying to take her mind off of everything, even though it seemed impossible, "I'm just trying to take my mind off of it." She admitted as he nodded.

"Yeah, I get it." Punk said, sitting down on the edge of her bed, a little further down so he wasn't too close to her, "I… I don't want to ever tell you what you should do about this but… maybe you'd feel better if you reported him. I mean you have me and Dean as your witness, those other boys saw Johnny put whatever it is that was put in your drink." Punk nodded.

"I want to report him so that… he can't do it to another girl and… people are aware." AJ nodded, "I just… I don't want people talking about it. They'll probably say I was just drunk or… I wanted it or… how can I know when I was spiked if I don't remember?" AJ shook her head, "I mean you hear the stories, don't you?"

"Who cares what people say? You know what happened, we know, and so does that little worm. He's guilty. People will see that." Punk said as AJ nodded.

"Maybe I… Maybe I'll tell the school." AJ nodded, "But that means your mom will find out." She sighed.

"She'll be with you throughout this." Punk said, "It's no joke what happened. It should be taken seriously." He said as AJ nodded.

"Thank you for… caring this much." AJ shook her head. She was blown away by how concerned and caring he was throughout everything. She hadn't had anyone be so concerned for her like this. It was nice. A feeling she could get used to it.

"Well it's shit what happened." Punk shook his head, "You've been through so much and people are still dicks." He said, "I couldn't imagine… losing my mom and, going through all of that." He admitted, "And then all of this." He said, "It sucks."

"Yeah." AJ agreed, running her hand through her soft hair, "No one has ever cared this much." She laughed a little as he looked at her.

"Well they should have." Punk said as AJ looked across at him. She felt like she could get lost in his eyes. They alone sent love straight into her heart. When he was around she felt safe, like everything would be ok. She knew that wasn't just a normal feeling.

"I hope Dean isn't being too hard on himself." AJ said, hugging her knees close to her chest, "How was he supposed to know?" She shrugged.

"I think he's just shocked that Johnny actually tried to do something like that. I know Dean. He can be stupid and irresponsible but he knows his right from wrong." Punk nodded, "And he'll-he'll not go near Johnny after this." Punk nodded, "He's just worried about you."

"I thought you both hated me." AJ laughed a little, "I mean I've came into your lives and… you guys didn't want me here-"

"No, that's-that's not it." Punk said, "We were just… not sure how to act. It's always just been us and mom, and what you've been through, we didn't know how you'd be." He said, "I'm glad you're here and you've got somewhere to feel safe." He nodded as she smiled.

"Thank you." AJ nodded.

"Stop thanking me." Punk laughed as she smiled, "This is your home now." He nodded.

"I feel safer here than I ever did with my mom." AJ admitted truthfully.

"Do you mind me asking her what was wrong with her?" Punk asked. He knew his mother told her that her mom had mental health problems but he never really knew what exactly was wrong with her.

"She was bipolar. 1." AJ said, "Made it hard for her to… keep down jobs, be a mom, keep our house in order." She said, "She spent a lot of time in hospital. Sometimes she wouldn't take her meds or they just wouldn't work enough." She said, "I just took care of her the best I could." She nodded.

"You must have… gave up a lot of your life." Punk said as she nodded.

"It's only now I've realised that." AJ admitted, "I'll be sitting in here and I'll not know what to do with myself. Before everything was so… go go go." She said, "I was practically raising myself and my mom since I… could remember." She said, "Now I'm being taken care of and it's… strange." She laughed a little.

"Miss her?" Punk nodded.

"Of course." AJ shook her head, "She was great when she was in her right mind." AJ nodded, "And I just wish she could have had an easier life." She sighed.

"She's lucky she had you." Punk said as she smiled.

"You're not as scary as people make you out to be." AJ admitted.

"Who says I'm scary?" Punk laughed.

"People at school." AJ shrugged. Even just by having a simple conversation with him, she felt a warmth in the air. Comfort. Like she could tell him anything. It was something that was growing and it certainly didn't feel like a brother/sister relationship. She knew that for sure.

"You thought I was scary?" Punk shook his head.

"A little." AJ said honestly. When she first encountered him she did think he was slightly scary, his presence was extremely noticeable in any room and his eyes had this… deep mysterious hollow look, which had now turned to comfort for her, "You just… beat to your own drum and do what you like… I think that scares people." She laughed a little.

"You think?" Punk laughed a little as she nodded, "You still think I'm scary?" He wondered.

"No." AJ answered immediately, "No, you're fine." She said as he smiled.

"Well good." Punk nodded as she smiled. Each time she smiled he felt himself more and more drawn to her. She was beautiful and her smile held so much strength. He never knew this side of her and he couldn't help be so intrigued.

* * *

Later that night, Punk, Dean and AJ sat down with Kerry to tell her all about what had happened. They figured since Kerry worked at the school, she could perhaps be their voice as AJ wasn't sure she could talk to anyone about it. It was difficult for her as she felt like she was already bringing stress and drama for Kerry when she'd only been there for a few weeks.

"I don't want you hanging around any of those boys." Kerry pointed at Dean, "Do you understand me?" She asked angrily as Dean nodded.

"I don't wanna hang around with them anyway." Dean said.

"This needs to be dealt with. It's not something you can ignore." Kerry nodded, "I'll talk to the principal tomorrow morning." She said as AJ nodded.

"I'm so sorry about this." AJ shook her head.

"Hey, no." Kerry shook her head, "No, absolutely not. This is not your fault. We're living in a world where things like this are happening way too often and people are getting away with it." Kerry said, "He should be held accountable for what he tried to do." She said.

"Do you still not remember anything?" Dean asked AJ who shook her head.

"I feel like I'm never gonna remember it, which means… who is gonna believe me? He'll just say that I agreed to it." AJ shook her head.

"No, there are way too many factors involved to prove you didn't give your consent. Him spiking your drink alone is cause for concern." Kerry said.

"That's what I said." Punk nodded, "Do you think the school would do anything?"

"They can get the police involved." Kerry nodded, "Move him schools. Arrest him. Hopefully." Kerry said, "If little boys like him aren't stopped now, then that's where they continue to feel entitled to anything they want." She said.

"I don't know what would have happened if Phil and Dean weren't there." AJ nodded, she wanted her to know how great her son's had been to her.

"Mhm." Kerry looked from Punk to Dean. She was incredibly proud of her sons. She'd raised them from humble roots. They had respect for others. Manners. They knew their right from wrong, and that was something she alone had taught them, "You boys did the right thing." She nodded, "If you have a suspicion, you act on it, and then you get out of the situation to regroup." She nodded.

"Do you think he could go to like… a juvenile prison for this?" Punk asked.

"It's what he deserves." Kerry shook her head. She was of course protective of April, just like a mother. This was deeply upsetting and worrying that AJ had to go through this. The not remembering alone must have been terrifying.

"I don't want everyone talking about it." AJ shook her head.

"You'll be supported." Kerry said, "And you'll be warning other girls about him. No one is gonna wanna be near him after they find out about this." She said as AJ ran her hands through her hair, "I will… talk to the principal tomorrow, get his advice on where we should take this sort of incident." She said, "Ok? You don't have to worry." She nodded as AJ smiled.

"Thank you." AJ said as Kerry nodded.

"I… don't feel like cooking so… I'll just order in, you guys ok with that?" She asked them as they all nodded.

"I'm gonna go finish the last of my homework." AJ nodded, getting up from the table and leaving the kitchen as she headed upstairs whilst the boys were about to leave the kitchen.

"Wait." Kerry said to them as they paused and turned around as she stood up, "I'm proud of you both." She nodded, "For helping her. Being there for her." She nodded. It was the first time she'd saw the three of them actually looking out for each other and it was nice to see.

"Well she didn't deserve any of that." Dean said.

"No, no one does." Kerry said.

"I told him to stay away from her. To come nowhere near her." Punk said as Kerry nodded.

"Phil did the most." Dean said, "I was… kinda scared." Dean admitted as Kerry nodded.

"Well you both got her home safe. She needs that in her life. She's never had that." Kerry said as Punk just nodded, "Go… go on in. I'll order dinner." She told them as they nodded and headed into the living room as she sighed.

* * *

"Did it happen in school?" Principal Ross Barns asked Kerry as she sat in his office.

"No, but-"

"Then I can't do anything about it." Ross shrugged as he sat behind his desk.

"What? I'm telling you a student here was almost raped by another student and you… that's your answer?" Kerry questioned with offence.

"What kids in this school do outside of school premises has nothing to do with me or the school board. If it happened in school times, in this building then I can certainly do something about it." Ross nodded.

"Can't you start an investigation. Question Johnny. Look into it at least?" Kerry shook her head.

"It's out of my hands." Ross said lethargically as Kerry looked at him and shook her head, "Kerry… parties go on all the time, maybe April just panicked, I mean you said nothing happened so… what do you even want me to do with that?"

"That boy spiked her drink to make sure she could barely walk or move and then took her into a room and locked the door behind him. My sons found him leaning over her with his phone out recording her. Don't you dare think that because nothing quote on quote happened, means this is any less serious." Kerry spat.

"I'm just saying, I've heard this before and the story never plays out." Ross said.

"Well I'm giving you the story." Kerry said.

"Which I'm sure will be different from Johnny's." Ross said.

"So you're saying you'd rather listen to his side?" Kerry questioned.

"I'm saying, I can't do anything about this. Ok?" Ross said, "If April is sure that this happened then she needs to go to the police and they can start an investigation." Ross said, "I know Johnny. He's a star student. He's got straight A's. Going for a really good scholarship after the school year. He's a leader in this school." He said.

"Straight A students can still rape." Kerry stood up as Ross looked at her, "I'm offended by every single thing that has come out of your mouth. No wonder girls and… and women don't feel comfortable speaking out about this stuff."

"This is high school, Kerry. Not the supreme court." Ross said.

"Yeah and I bet the supreme court would give me the exact same response no doubt." Kerry said, "We'll take it to the police then. Your straight A student can forget all about his scholarship." She spat, leaving the office and slamming the door shut behind her angrily.


	8. Trying

**Trying**

* * *

"He said nothing?" Punk shook his head, after school standing in the kitchen with his mom, Dean and AJ.

"Yeah, pretty much." Kerry shook her head, not going into detail as she didn't want to tell AJ what he had said, as she knew it would only mess with her head. She wouldn't let her be talked out of reporting this.

"So… what am I supposed to do?" AJ asked, "Go to the police?"

"I think… that's our only option." Kerry nodded.

"Shouldn't the investigation be opened through the school?" Dean asked.

"No because if it didn't happen at school then technically… the school can't do anything about it but… that doesn't mean that they can't talk to Johnny, suspend him, question him, take some sort of interest at least." She shook her head.

"The police aren't going to take it seriously." AJ shook her head.

"They should." Kerry said, "I can come with you, tomorrow after school we can drop into the station. They'll just ask you some questions."

"Questions that… I won't be able to answer because I don't know what happened." AJ shook her head with frustration.

"You can say as much as you know. They'll probably want to speak to you both too." She turned to Dean and Punk, "So keep your phones on you." She said as they nodded, "Don't be deflated by this." Kerry told AJ, "Might be best that it's reported to the police." She said.

"He wasn't in school today." Dean said.

"Good." Kerry shook her head, "It'll be ok." She said, rubbing AJ's arm and nodding, "We'll go to the police tomorrow and let them know everything." She said as AJ nodded, just as there was a knock at the door.

"I'll get it." Punk said, walking out of the kitchen and heading to the door, swinging it open where he saw his father, Shawn, standing, straight out from work no doubt.

"Phil." Shawn nodded, "How you doing?" He asked him.

"I'm fine." Punk said, watching his father walk into the house, without an invite, "You here to yell at mom some more?" Punk asked, shutting the door over.

"She's being unreasonable." Shawn defended as Punk just ignored him anyway.

"So… why you here?" Punk asked him.

"Well, I'm sure your mom told you I'm moving closer. I've got an office more close by that I can work from now so… I don't have to be in the city?"

"Isn't that where the company is?" Punk asked.

"Yeah but… I can work out with." Shawn nodded, "Anyway, I was hoping I could have you and Dean over to the house soon."

"For what reason?" Punk asked. He wouldn't lie. The relationship he and Dean had with their father was just awful. They barely saw him and when they did it was awkward and no one knew what to say. They were always on their mom's side as they knew their dad had cheated on her and pretty much just walked out on them as kids to go be with another woman. They didn't hate him. They just didn't care.

"To see my sons." Shawn laughed a little, "There's no reason. Come on." Shawn said, "I'm trying here."

"You've not done anything yet." Punk shook his head.

"Phil, who is it?" Kerry called from the kitchen.

"It's dad." Punk called back as Kerry walked out of the kitchen and down the hall to the doorway.

"Kerry." Shawn nodded.

"I told you not to come back here." Kerry said, "You want to get a hold of the boys you call them, you have their numbers. Don't come to my house." She said.

"I was driving through, it was quicker me to stop by." Shawn said as Dean eventually followed and walked into sight.

"Hi Dean." Shawn nodded.

"Hi." Dean made a sarcastic face.

"Look, I'd like you both to come over Friday night." Shawn said, "We've finally properly moved in and Kim wants to cook for you."

"Fuck Kim." Dean scoffed as Shawn looked at him, "You think I wanna sit at a table with you and the bitch you left us for?"

"Dean." Kerry nipped Dean's arm, even though she was secretly smiling on the inside.

"I know you're still mad about that." Shawn nodded, "But things are better with me and your mom apart." He said, "Look, I'm trying to reach out to you here. I moved closer because I want to be in your lives. I'm trying." Shawn said as Punk just looked at him.

"We'll come." Punk nodded as Dean glared at his brother.

"Thank you." Shawn nodded to Punk and then looked over to Dean, "I wish you would hate me less." He admitted as Dean just rolled his eyes.

"Well it'd be extremely hard." Dean answered.

"Ok, you need to leave now." Kerry nodded.

"I'll go." Shawn nodded, "I'll text you the address of the new house." He nodded to Punk.

"Ok." Punk said as Shawn left the house and closed the door over behind him.

"Why'd you agree to that?" Dean asked Punk angrily.

"Because we complain about him not being here and then when he does try to do something we always blow him off." Punk said, "Plus, it's fun to mess with Kim." He shrugged as Kerry smiled to herself.

* * *

Later that night after dinner, Punk was clearing up in the kitchen.

"Need a hand?" AJ asked him.

"No, I'm good." Punk nodded to her.

"I'm gonna help you anyway." AJ shrugged, grabbing a kitchen towel and helping him dry whilst he washed, "So you're going to your dads on Friday." She smiled as he nodded, "Excited?" She asked him.

"No but… he deserves a chance, right?" Punk said.

"You're eighteen, almost nineteen… how many chances has he had?" AJ questioned as Punk turned to her and nodded.

"Yeah, I know. The guy is scum, ok… I get it but… he's still our dad, and he's going out of his way to make an effort so… we might as well go." Punk nodded.

"I think you'll have to drag Dean there kicking and screaming." AJ said as Punk laughed and nodded.

"Story of my life." Punk nodded as she smiled, "How you feeling about… going to the police?" He asked her.

"Nervous." AJ nodded, "I… feel like I'm gonna fall apart in there. And I'm just terrified of them not doing anything." She admitted, "What if they just dismiss it?"

"They can't. They've gotta look into it." Punk nodded, "And with me and Dean as your witness, they can't ignore that." He said.

"I just feel like I can't properly defend myself because I… I can't remember anything." She shook her head.

"And that's not your fault." Punk said, "That's on him. He spiked your drink with intention of doing… something." He said, "That's serious and cops can't ignore that." He shook his head as she nodded, "You're being really brave going through this." He nodded as she looked up at him.

"Well I… feel really supported by your mom and… you. Dean." AJ nodded, "I've never had that before." She admitted truthfully as he nodded. He knew she hadn't, because he could see how much it meant to her, just to have someone to talk to. He saw her as misunderstood and he started wondering why no one had paid attention to her sooner. She was beautiful inside and out, and he was slowly starting to see more and more of the real her.

"Well we're here for you." Punk said as she smiled and nodded.

She still wasn't sure if he was looking at her as a little sister. She didn't want him to, because she certainly didn't look at him like a brother. She looked at him dreamily. With a pounding in her heart, slightly out of breath whenever he smiled at her.

"You're not gonna… torment your step mom or anything on Friday, are you?" She laughed a little.

"God, don't call her our step mom." Punk groaned, 'No, but it's fun to mess with her." He said, "When we were little we… got a box of spiders from the pet store and we put them in her drawer." He said.

"Oh my gosh that's evil." AJ shook her head.

"Mom loved it." Punk shrugged as AJ smiled.

"Yeah, I can imagine." AJ said, "I appreciate everything she's doing for me. I mean she's gave me a home. She didn't have to do that." She shook her head.

"She wants to look out for you." Punk nodded as AJ smiled.

"I'm glad she is." AJ said, looking up at him as he smiled down at her, staring at each other for longer than normal.

"Is there anymore pie left?" Dean walked into the kitchen as AJ and Punk stared away from one another and stepped away a little as they realised they had been standing pretty close, "Or did your fat ass eat it?" He asked Punk.

"My fat ass ate it." Punk replied as Dean groaned, "There's cookies over there, though."

"Oh, sweet." Dean said, opening up the box and taking a few cookies out, "I hope you know that I'm not making conversation on Friday." Dean said childishly.

"Ok." Punk said without care in his voice.

"Unless I'm calling Kim a bitch. I'll speak then." Dean nodded to himself.

"Dad is trying, we gotta give him a chance with it." Punk told Dean, putting the plates away.

"I don't gotta do anything." Dean said, "This is the guy who… who cheated on mom, for a long time by the way, left her and us, was never there for anything when we were growing up, sat and watched from his million dollar company as we were almost evicted ten times… I don't think I need to give him anything." Dean said as Punk nodded.

"Fair enough." Punk nodded.

"Yeah, I think so." Dean said, "Fuck Kim, I hate that stupid bitch." He said as Punk and AJ just laughed a little, "I can smell the tinge of her perfume in my God damn nightmares." He groaned as Punk just shook his head.

"Go away." Punk hit him with the towel as Dean just left the kitchen.

"He's crazy." AJ shook her head.

"I know." Punk said, "You can go in. I got the rest of this." He said as she nodded, handing him over a few plates.

"You got them?" She wondered, feeling his hands slightly over his.

"I got them." Punk nodded as she still didn't let go, "Let go." He laughed a little as she quickly pulled her hands back, "Grab a couple cookies and go sit down." He said as she smiled and nodded, taking some cookies from the box as he secretly watched her with a smile, his eyes following her as she left the kitchen, shaking his head as he tried to make his feelings less obvious.


	9. Problem

**Problem**

* * *

"Are you ok?" Kerry asked as they left the police station the next day.

"Yeah." AJ nodded, "It wasn't so bad." She admitted. They'd spoken to a lovely woman police officer who asked AJ some questions and confirmed that they would be bringing Johnny in for questioning. She thought it'd be a lot scarier but she actually felt so much better for going.

"Yeah?" Kerry nodded, giving AJ a soft hug, "You were really brave."

"I felt stupid because I didn't really know anything." AJ shook her head.

"Hey, that woman heard enough to know exactly what was going on. They're gonna bring Johnny in and hopefully they can charge him with something." She said as AJ nodded, "And then hopefully that can extend to him being expelled from the school." She said.

"Or they might not take any action." AJ shrugged, "I don't wanna be hopeful." She said.

"I know." Kerry sighed, "But he should pay for what he did. It's not just something he can get a slap on the wrist for." She said as AJ nodded.

"I know." AJ said, "Thank you for coming with me and… being here throughout all of this." She nodded, "It means a lot to me."

"It's the least I can do. I was so happy to see you… going out and taking the next step I guess from… everything with your mom. And then this happens." She shook her head, "It's a lot for a seventeen year old girl to go through in such a short space of time… and you're being so strong." She nodded.

"Well I don't wanna be a crying mess." AJ smiled to her.

"I think we're allowed to be a crying mess every now and then." Kerry said, "I'm just glad you're ok and it's gonna be investigated." She nodded.

"Me too." AJ said as they continued to walk home.

"How did it go?" Punk asked once AJ and Kerry got home. He'd been anxious all day and wondered how it had gone for AJ at the police station.

"It was… ok." AJ nodded, "They're taking it really seriously and they're gonna bring Johnny in for questioning." She said, "So… I think it went well." She nodded.

"The woman we spoke to did say she might need statements from you and Dean." Kerry said.

"That's fine." Punk nodded, "At least they're taking it more seriously than the school did." He said as Kerry nodded.

"Yeah." Kerry said, "I'm gonna go get changed." She told them, leaving the kitchen and heading upstairs as AJ turned to look over at Punk.

"So it went ok then?" Punk asked her as she nodded.

"As ok as it could." AJ said, "The woman was really nice and… she made me not feel stupid."

"Why would you feel stupid?" Punk asked her.

"Because I don't even know what happened." AJ shrugged.

"April he spiked your drink and took you into a room. That-It doesn't take a genius to figure out what the intentions were." Punk said, "And that police woman will know that. They'll take Johnny in and he'll crumble." He said.

"I don't wanna get my hopes built up that he'll… get what he deserves. I mean there's a chance he won't." She said.

"He should." Punk shook his head, "It's like my mom said, how can girls come forward this stuff if nothing is ever gonna be done about it." He said as AJ nodded.

"I know." AJ nodded, "I do feel better after going, though. I thought it wouldn't make a difference." She admitted.

"Well the hard part is over now." Punk nodded as she smiled.

"I'm gonna go do some homework." She said, not wanting to find herself in another daydream with his face like the previous night. But she couldn't help it. The more time they spent together, even if it was just small conversations, she found herself so much more attracted to him. His personality and his physical state. She loved his streaky blonde hair that poked through his bandanas, his crooked smile and his mysterious eyes. But most of all, she just loved that he cared.

"Ok." Punk nodded, "I think it's tacos for dinner." He said.

"My favourite." AJ smiled before leaving the kitchen as his eyes followed her all the way until she was out of sight. He'd thought about her all day, just hoping things would be ok at the police station. Thinking about her in any sort of distress upset him. Angered him. He just wanted her to be ok.

Dean got home just after AJ disappeared upstairs, walking through to the kitchen as Punk looked at him.

"What the hell happened to you?" Punk shook his head.

"What? Nothing." Dean said, trying to hide his bruised face.

"No… what the hell-" Punk turned Dean around, "Who were you fighting with?"

"It was just a school fight." Dean shrugged.

"Dean." Punk shook his head.

"Johnny's brother jumped me on the way home." Dean said, "Said we better not fuck up Johnny's life with this shit." He shook his head.

"His brother did this?" Punk asked angrily as Dean nodded.

"I'm fine. Just… don't tell mom or AJ. Just say it was a school fight."

"No… no, he's not jumping you and getting away with it." Punk said, "Where does he stay again?" Punk asked.

"What? You're not gonna go to his house are you?" Dean asked.

"That's exactly what I'm gonna do." Punk said, "Tell me where he stays." Punk said as Dean just looked at him.

* * *

"Where is Phil? Did he go out?" Kerry asked, sitting at dinner later on with AJ and Dean. Dean had just told his mother that he got into a fight with someone in gym class.

"I-I don't know." Dean shook his head, not making eye contact as Kerry looked at him.

"Dean." Kerry scowled a little, "Look at me. Where is your brother?" She asked as Dean looked up at her whilst AJ looked on in silence.

"Johnny's brother jumped me on my way home today. Phil has gone to their house." Dean sighed as he knew he couldn't lie to his mother.

"What?!" Kerry shrieked, "You told me it was a fight at gym class?"

"I lied." Dean shrugged, "I told Phil not to go but he… he was mad." He said.

"Why did his brother jump you?" AJ asked.

"He told me that we better not fuck Johnny's life up with this. And it was him who gave Johnny the drugs that were in your drink. Well that's what Mark told me today." Dean said as Kerry shook her head.

"How long has Phil been gone?" Kerry asked, "That boy." She shook her head.

"Not long." Dean shook his head just as the door opened as Kerry stood up. She heard Punk take one footstep on the stairs and lost it.

"Phillip Jack Brooks, get in this kitchen right now!" She yelled out as AJ raised her eyebrows, looking down the hall as Punk appeared and walked into the kitchen, "Explain to me what you were doing at that boys house? This is now an investigation, with the police, you can't be seen doing anything-"

"He wasn't in. No one was." Punk shrugged.

"That isn't the point." Kerry said.

"He jumped my little brother. What do you expect me to do?" Punk asked.

"I expect you to act your age and keep a cool head." Kerry said, "There's enough going on without you running up on houses looking for a fight." She said.

"I was mad about what he did to Dean, alright?" Punk said as AJ looked up at him. Just within the few weeks she was living with them, she knew that he was very protective over his family, especially his little brother.

"I understand that but you're better than this. Don't lower yourself to their level." She shook her head as Punk just looked down, "Dean what did he say to you? Exactly? And what age is this boy?" She asked.

"He's like nineteen or twenty." Dean said, "He just told me that we better not fuck up Johnny's life with this." He said as Kerry shook her head.

AJ suddenly felt so deflated. She realised all the stress she had brought this family since moving in and she felt terrible about it.

"Excuse me." AJ stood up from the table as Punk watched her brush by him and leave the kitchen.

"This is all getting way too out of hand." Kerry sighed as Punk walked away and followed AJ to make sure she was ok. He found himself wondering if she was ok way too much. He just felt this sadness whenever he saw her upset.

"Hey." Punk walked into her room as she turned around where he saw she was crying, "What are you crying for?" Punk shook his head as she dried her eyes.

"I've disrupted your lives so much and I've only been here for a few weeks." She shook her head.

"April it's not your fault." Punk shook his head, stepping closer to her, "You've not disrupted our lives. Something bad happened to you and… we're gonna look out for you." Punk said.

"I just feel like I'm the problem." She shook her head through her sobs, drying her wet face as Punk shook his head.

"You aren't the problem." He sighed. Seeing her upset hurt his chest. He just wanted to be there for her. Tell her it'd be ok. He'd never felt that way about anyone before, "The problem is what Johnny did to you. And what his brother did to Dean. That's the problem here and… the police are gonna help us." He nodded, "You aren't the problem." He sighed. He hated that she believed that.

"I'm just sorry I brought all of this into your lives." She said.

"Stop saying that." Punk said, "We wanna help you." He nodded, "Everything is… it's gonna be ok." He nodded as she looked up at him. She'd never felt comfortable enough with someone to break down so much. She trusted him like she never trusted anyone before. And when he said everything would be ok, she truly believed it, because she believed him.

She then watched as he wrapped his arms around her. She fell against his chest, her arms circling around the sides of his body as she felt his arms tight around her, protecting her and keeping her safe.

She felt so safe in his arms, and he felt so at ease holding her. He just wanted her to feel better. To not feel like the world was against her, because it wasn't. They both knew the hug wasn't just a friend leaning on a friend. There was more. There was purpose and meaning. Longing.

Meanwhile Dean had come upstairs to see if AJ was alright when he paused at her door where he saw Punk embracing her, rubbing her back softly as her head leaned against his chest. He slowly creeped back out of sight so they wouldn't see him. He could see there was something going on. He saw the looks they gave one another. The more conversations they'd been having. The way his brother wanted to protect her and look out for her. He knew something was going on.


	10. Dad Dinner

**Dad Dinner**

* * *

"I can't believe you're making me come here." Dean said, on the way to their dad's house later on in the week.

"It's just a few hours." Punk shook his head.

"A few hours I'll never get back." Dean said, "Wouldn't you rather just be at home? I'm sure you're missing AJ." He said as Punk turned to him, "What?" Dean said innocently.

"What do you mean by that?" Punk shook his head.

"Come on, I'm no fool. I know you're into her." Dean said, "Everywhere I turn in the house you're talking to her or you're hugging her. Next thing I'm gonna turn around and see you screwing her." He rolled his eyes.

"We're just friends. I'm just trying to be there for her. You're being ridiculous." Punk shook his head defensively.

"I don't think I am." Dean said, "You can admit you like her." He said.

"I don't." Punk said, "Well I do… but not that way." He said, "She's going through a lot and it's important that we're there for her." He nodded.

"I know that but… you're being extra there for her." Dean said as Punk just shook his head.

"You're ridiculous." Punk said, ignoring his brother as they continued to walk down the street.

Things had calmed down with everything at home regarding Johnny and his brother. Punk never got his hands on either of them and it was probably for the best as he realised it could have hurt AJ's investigation. As far as they know, Johnny had been brought in for questioning, but they were waiting on an update from the station. Johnny hadn't showed up at school and his brother had also stayed put after he had jumped Dean.

"Do you think they'll actually take action? Like arrest him?" Dean asked.

"They should." Punk shook his head, "But I don't know. I can't predict anything." He shrugged as Dean nodded, "The worst thing to happen would be Johnny coming back to school like nothing happened and AJ having to forget all about it."

"That could happen." Dean said, "I mean you hear about it all the time. The boy gets let go due to lack of evidence, and the girl has to… get over it, see his face every day." Dean shook his head.

"I hope that doesn't happen for AJ's sake." Punk sighed.

"Because you like her." Dean nudged him.

"No, because I respect women and pricks like Johnny can't get away with what he did. What if he does it again to someone else?" Punk said.

"Yeah, I know." Dean nodded, "Best case scenario is he… gets expelled from school and sent to like a… juvenile detention centre or something." He said, "So AJ doesn't have to see his face ever again."

"Yeah, best case scenario." Punk nodded.

"Is this the house?" Dean paused beside Punk in the street as they looked on at the large, ravish house in front of them as Punk pulled his phone up and looked at the address his father sent him.

"Yeah." Punk nodded, "Nice place."

"Looks like a fucking hotel." Dean shook his head, "How does two people need this much space?" He groaned, "I'm betting we could steal some things and sell it for money." He nodded.

"Dean." Punk shook his head, "Don't touch anything." He said, walking in through the gate and up to the large door, knocking on it as they stood outside. They already felt out of place next to the huge, gorgeous house in their dirty jeans and hoodies.

Punk adjusted his bandana as he waited on someone answering the door whilst Dean was moving the ornament at the front door back and forth with his foot.

"The fuck is this?" Dean shook his head, "Who needs at their door?"

"Stop touching it." Punk said anxiously just as Dean's foot slipped and knocked the ornament down all the steps, smashing it into tiny pieces just as the door opened.

"Boys." Shawn nodded, a disappointed smile on his face as Punk and Dean looked at him.

"I'll… give you the money for that." Dean shrugged.

"That was two thousand dollars." Shawn said.

"Well then you're just an idiot for spending two thousand dollars on an ugly door ornament." Dean said, stepping into the house and walking by his father as Punk followed.

"I'm just glad you both made it." Shawn nodded, "Go on through to the dining room." He nodded to them.

"Can you smell that?" Dean whispered to Punk.

"Smell what?" Punk asked him as they walked through the house.

"The stench of rich bitch." Dean said as Punk just laughed and shook his head, "Oh, there is it." Dean whispered as they spotted Kim, their father's girlfriend in the dining room where the large table was set up.

Kim was a beautiful girl, neither of them would deny that, but she would always be the girl their father cheated with and for that, they didn't have any time for her. She was extremely obnoxious and pretentious too which added to their level of hatred.

"Hey." Kim smiled to them.

"Hey." Dean exaggerated in the same voice she used, but she was too oblivious to notice.

"Sit down." Kim nodded to them, "Did your dad take your jackets?" She asked them.

"We didn't have jackets." Punk said, sitting down next to Dean at the table.

"Oh, right." Kim smiled, "Well we're so glad you both came. It… it means a lot to your dad." She told them before Shawn came into the room.

"Good, we're all set." Shawn nodded, "How do you both like the new house?" He asked them, sitting down at the table with Kim across from them as Dean just shrugged.

"It's unnecessary. Just like the last one." Dean said as Shawn just nodded slowly.

"It's nice." Punk nodded just as someone came from the kitchen who appeared to be serving the food.

"Oh, come on." Dean shook his head.

"I thought you were cooking?" Punk asked Kim.

"I changed my mind last minute." Kim shrugged, "Plus, I'm a terrible cook." She waved her hand.

"Shocker." Dean said.

"I was hoping you boys would come and stay some time if you wanted to." Shawn nodded, "It's not like there's not enough room. And I'm close by now." He pointed out, "I'd like to see more of you both." He nodded.

"Well we're busy." Dean said.

"I'm sure we could work something out." Punk nodded as Dean just shook his head, "How come you managed to start working from outside the city?" He asked.

"Well I've peaked to a point where I have people actually running the company in the main building, so I don't actually have to be there. I take care of the boring stuff and I thought it'd be better to set up the office out here so I can spend more time with you both." Shawn said.

Their father owned a successful trading company. They knew he was very, very rich and successful, but the only reason he was all of that, was because he left them.

"Must be nice having people run around after you." Dean nodded.

"I still work extremely hard." Shawn nodded to him.

"So how is school?" Kim asked, "Is this your last year, Phil?" She asked.

"Yeah." Punk nodded.

"What do you wanna do after?" She asked.

"I'm not sure yet." Punk shrugged, "I'll take anywhere I can get."

"I'll get you laced up with me in the office." Shawn said, "It's an easy ride once you get your footing, and it's great money. I'd make sure you were taken care of-"

"I'm alright, dad." Punk assured him, "I got decent grades so I'll be fine. I'll get a job somewhere." He nodded.

"What about you, Dean? I know you have another year but… what are you thinking?" Kim asked.

"No idea." Dean said bluntly.

"Well I'd be happy to have you both working with me." Shawn nodded.

"I would rather be on the unemployment list forever." Dean said, "Plus we know you do shady stuff at work. No one runs a successful company without pulling a few strings somewhere they aren't supposed to."

"You watch too many movies." Shawn concluded with a chuckle as Dean just shook his head, "Hey, so which one of you has the girlfriend?" He smiled, "The past couple of times I've been to the house there's been a younger girl there." He said.

"Oh, April?" Dean asked, "She's Phil's girlfriend." He nodded as Punk stomped on his foot, "Hey." Dean looked at him.

"She isn't my girlfriend." Punk rolled his eyes, "She lives with us now. Mom is her legal guardian. She was best friends with her mom but… she killed herself so… mom took AJ in." Punk said.

"Oh, I remember that friend of your mom's." Shawn nodded, "Super crazy." He laughed a little as Punk just looked at him, "But that's a shame. So she's like a sister then?"

"Yeah well… kinda." Punk shrugged, not wanting to agree as he knew he did not look at AJ the way a brother should look at a sister. He knew that. Dean knew that and he was pretty sure AJ knew it too.

"She's actually going through a pretty rough time right now." Dean said, "She was spiked and almost raped at a party and we're trying to get the boy arrested."

"Oh, man." Shawn raised his eyebrows, "That's terrible."

"The police are investigating it so we're hoping they take action somehow." Punk nodded.

"Well I should hope so." Shawn shook his head, "I hope you both aren't getting involved with the wrong crowd of people." She said, "I'm looking at you specifically." He looked at Dean.

"Why me?" Dean asked.

"Because I know Phil isn't interested in drinking. I know you are. And I could smell the smoke from you when you walked in." Shawn shook his head, "Nasty, nasty habit."

"It's none of your business." Dean said, "I like to go out and have a good time. What about it?" He said.

"Nothing, I just hope you're being careful, that's all." Shawn said, "Nothing wrong with having a good time. Hell, if I could be your age again I would be thrilled. I wouldn't have gotten your mother pregnant but nevertheless-"

"Thanks very much." Punk nodded.

"Well, I don't mean it in that sense." Shawn laughed, "It was just a lot of stress-"

"Stress that you got out of and left mom with." Dean said.

"It was better me and your mom split. We weren't good together." Shawn said.

"That didn't mean you had to abandon me and Phil." Dean shook his head.

"I didn't abandon you, Dean. I was trying to provide for myself and make a living-"

"How about you provide for us for once." Dean said, "We've had over ten eviction notices stuck on our door. We've sat in darkness for weeks because mom couldn't pay electricity bills. We've missed out on school field trips because we had to choose between going on the trip or having dinner that night." He said, "And you sit here, in a house like this, and that doesn't even cross your mind." He said as Punk just sat in silence. He knew Dean had a lot of angst towards their father. He did too but he managed to hold it in when he had to.

"You're allowed to be angry about all of that, Dean." Shawn said.

"Oh, good. I'm glad you're allowing me to be angry." Dean shook his head, reaching for another bread roll and cutting it open aggressively as Punk just played with his food awkwardly.

* * *

The dinner thankfully came to an end and Dean and Punk certainly weren't staying around for desert. They thanked their dad, or in that case, Punk thanked their dad on behalf of them before, for the dinner, and they left the house.

"Why can't you just bite your tongue?" Punk asked Dean as they walked home.

"Because he says all the wrong things and he pisses me off." Dean shook his head, "He thinks he's doing us a favour giving his time to us. Well fuck him, I don't want it." He shook his head.

"Calm down." Punk rolled his eyes.

"No. You feel the exact same you're just too pussy to say anything to him."

"I'm not. This just separates the fact you're a little boy with dad issues. I couldn't care less. I'm over it. If he wants to see us, fine. If he doesn't, fine." Punk said.

"But it shouldn't be like that." Dean said, "And don't say I have daddy issues again or I'll choke you." He warned.

"Well you do. Look at you. You're getting all hot when you could be like me and just… not care." Punk said simply.

"No, you're just too busy thinking about AJ." Dean said.

"No. I'm not." Punk rolled his eyes.

"Yeah, you are." Dean said, "I bet you're thinking about her right now. Naked. Oh, Phil. Spank me." He mimicked in a girly voice, "Spank me with a book." He said, backing his ass into Punk.

"Fuck off." Punk shoved him as Dean just cackled.

"I bet she wants you to choke her with that bandana." Dean nodded, "Because don't worry, I can see the way she looks at you too. She likes you." He said.

"No, she doesn't." Punk said, "And I don't like her. Not like that."

"You're just lying to yourself. I already know the truth." Dean said as Punk just shook his head, "Just admit it." He said as Punk shook his head, looking down at the ground, "Admit it."

"I don't know." Punk said with frustration as Dean looked at him, "I don't know how I feel. I-I think I like her… I don't know, I just… care about her feelings a lot. A lot more than I expected."

"Someone has a crush." Dean smirked, "Good. You're getting over Maria." He nodded as Punk raised his eyebrows. The crazy thing was, he'd barely thought of Maria over the course of the few weeks, as he was way too distracted by AJ.


	11. Dropped

**Dropped**

* * *

The next week at school, AJ was finding her bearings again after a rocky week of feeling like she was the root of all problems. The police had stopped by the house to let them know that they had questioned Johnny and were looking into things. They also asked Dean and Punk some questions about what happened that night.

She was in the school toilets, having asked to go during her history class after drinking too much at lunch. She washed and dried her hands, listening as the door to the toilets opened up. She turned around casually, expecting a girl of course, to walk through the door when instead she was horrified by the sight of Johnny, who had clearly made his return to school.

"W-What are you doing in here?" AJ backed up immediately.

"I thought it was you." Johnny nodded as AJ looked across at him with fear. Fear that at one point, this boy had control over her entire body and she knew nothing about it. It was the scariest thing.

"Get out." AJ spat, "Stay away from me."

"I just wanna clear the air." Johnny said, "I mean, I'd say there's a lot of unnecessary drama going on between you and I. No?" He said, walking towards her as she suddenly ran out of space behind her, feeling her back press against the wall.

"You shouldn't be anywhere near me unless you want the police to find out." AJ spat.

"Do you have any idea what your little accusation has done to me?" Johnny spat, "My parents won't look at me. My scholarship has been set back to pending, when I already had a confirmed place-"

"Accusation?" AJ shook her head, "It's not accusation. It happened." She spat.

"No. Nothing happened." Johnny said.

"You spiked me. You… you took me into a room and you were recording me." AJ said.

"But I didn't touch you. I don't wanna touch you." He said with disgust, "No one in this school would wanna touch you." He said as AJ looked up at him, "Don't be too disappointed when the cops drop your investigation because they have absolutely nothing to investigate." He spat.

"Why would you spike me then? And take me into a room? Lock the door behind you? Why do all of that with no intention?" AJ asked. She knew he was just going back in his tracks to cover himself. Of course he had an agenda at the time.

"It was just funny to see how out of it you were." Johnny shrugged, "I could have had you if I wanted." He nodded as AJ flinched a little, "I mean you couldn't move an inch. I could have invited a few others in. Could you imagine waking up and seeing that recording all over the internet? People whispering about you?" He smiled, "But none of that happened. I never touched you." He spat, "So why don't you tell the cops you got it wrong. You remember me not hurting you. That I was just being a friend, making sure you were ok." He smiled as AJ shook her head.

"No." AJ spat, "Get out." She stood her ground as Johnny glared at her and backed off, leaving the toilets as AJ took a deep breath, turning around and placing her hands on the sink to steady herself.

All she could think about was how fast she could get home.

* * *

AJ left the toilets after she got a hold of herself, and she walked out of school and straight home, forgetting all about her bag that was still in her history class. She didn't think she could go back to class and sit. She needed out.

She got home, reaching for the spare key to unlock the door that Kerry hid in a secret place, going to unlock it when she found it already opened. She walked on in and saw Punk in the kitchen.

"What are you doing home?" AJ asked as Punk looked over at her.

"I had free classes." Punk said, in the middle of making a sandwich, "What are you doing home?" He asked as she placed her hand on her head, "What is it?" Punk paused.

"Johnny was back today." She said as he looked across at her, "I was in the toilets and he came in-"

"What?" Punk hissed.

"He didn't hurt me." AJ said, realising that she had to assure him of that first, because for some reason he cared, "He just told me to take back what I said to the cops. That I'm ruining his life over an accusation because he… he never touched me." AJ said, "He said he was never going to do anything he just wanted to see how… out of it I was." She shook her head.

"I told him to stay away from you." Punk spat, dropping what he was doing, "I'll kill him." He said, on his way out of the kitchen as she pulled him back.

"No, don't do anything stupid." AJ said as he looked down at her, "Please." She said, "Just… stay here with me." She nodded as he looked at her, relaxing himself a little, looking at her hand on his arm as she immediately took it away, "It'll only make things worse." She said as Punk sighed, running his hand through his blonde hair.

"It's harassment." Punk said, "He had no right. You gotta tell the cops he came up to you and told you to go back on your statement." He said, "He looks even guiltier."

"I just want to let them do their job." AJ shook her head, "I just… left my bag in class." She shook her head.

"I'll tell Dean to get it." Punk said, taking his phone out and texting Dean to grab her bag on the way home, "Are you ok?" He sighed as she just nodded, "He shouldn't have even been allowed back in school when he's being investigated." He shook his head angrily as AJ just shrugged.

"I didn't think I'd be as scared as I was." AJ admitted, "Just knowing that… I was unconscious and he was… he could have done anything." She shook her head. It made her feel sick.

"I can't imagine what it feels like but… I know it'll get better. You've been so strong throughout all of this." Punk said. He was amazed by her strength. To keep going. To not cower away from everything going on. Her strength was something he was definitely attracted to.

"I just feel like it's never gonna end." She shook her head.

"It'll end." Punk nodded, "And he'll get what he deserves." He said.

* * *

Later that night, they got a visit from the police officer who was handling the investigation, officer Jane Parks. It wasn't an arranged visit, she had shown up after dinner asking to talk to AJ, which of course Kerry joined as well as Punk and Dean.

"You're what?!" Kerry spat.

"What the hell?" Punk unfolded his arms and shook his head.

"There isn't enough evidence for us to… pursue anything." Jane said, "We interviewed Johnny's friends who were with him the whole night and… and they said that he didn't put anything in your drink." She shook her head to AJ.

"That's bullshit." Dean said.

"Wait." Kerry hushed Dean, "So you're telling me because his friends said this, you can't continue with the investigation? My sons told you they walked in on him… filming her, leaning over her, about to do God knows what." Kerry said as AJ sat in silence, "How can you let this go?"

"We have no evidence of video footage from that night-"

"Because I smashed the phone so he couldn't post whatever it was anywhere." Punk said, "You shouldn't need evidence. Just take our word. Take April's word. She was spiked by Johnny and he took her into a room."

"Johnny said he was simply making sure she was alright. I can't progress any further when there's nothing else for me to look at." Jane said, "And the fact April can't tell me what happened really affects the whole thing too."

"Because she was spiked. If anything that should be the evidence." Kerry said, "So you're just gonna let that boy go about his life like normal? April has to see him in school, you know." Kerry spat as AJ just sat in silence, she didn't know what to say.

"I know it's hard-"

"No." Kerry said, "No, you don't know anything. And you're not doing anything to help either. What do you think? This is just some kids messing around? That it's not to be taken serious?" She asked.

"I don't think that." Jane said, "Of course I don't. But… If I have no evidence to work with then I can't make any arrests or decisions." She said.

"Who do you suppose spiked her then?" Kerry asked, "Huh?"

"Perhaps someone else at the party." Jane said.

"You're making excuses for him." Kerry shook her head.

"I'm not. It's my job to look at the whole situation and I can't spend any more time on something that I'm not making any waves with. I have other cases to attend to-"

"So this isn't important to you?" Kerry nodded.

"That's not what I'm saying. The bottom line is I have no evidence that Johnny did anything to April that night, and I have no evidence that he was out to hurt her in any way-"

"We saw him with her. He locked the door." Dean said.

"He said he was checking on her. He didn't want anyone to see her in the state she was in." Jane said, "It's he said she said, I know but… that's how cases like these go down."

"No, they go down with absolutely no action being taken." Kerry said, "Just get out of my house." She stood up as Jane sighed, turning to AJ, "Don't even look at her." Kerry said as Jane left the living room and walked out of the house.

AJ sat in silence, not moving as Kerry sighed and turned to her, "It's ok, we can… we can figure something out." Kerry nodded.

"How can they just ignore that?" Punk shook his head.

"Because they don't believe me." AJ answered for him. She could see the look on the woman's face. She'd clearly been persuaded by what Johnny had said. She no longer believed her side of the story and that felt pretty hurtful.

"April I will talk to the principal about making sure that you aren't in any of Johnny's classes and that he stays away from you in school. If he doesn't take me seriously then I will go to the school board." Kerry nodded, "You're not going to suffer, I don't care if they ignore it. It's not happening." She said as AJ just nodded, not really knowing what to say.

"I'm… gonna go upstairs." AJ said, slipping away out of the living room as Kerry shook her head and sighed.

"I can't believe this." Kerry said.

"I'm gonna see if she's ok." Punk said as Dean watched him go after AJ.

Punk reached the top of the stairs, knocking on AJ's room door as she let him in. She wasn't visibly upset but he could tell she was deflated, angry and most of all feeling defeated before even getting started.

"You ok?" Punk asked, "I know, stupid question." He said.

"I… you know, I kinda thought this would happen. When he came to me today, I just thought he must have been so good at acting innocent." She said, "Someone who can bring themselves to spike someone and… take control of their body, have to be good at finding ways out of it." She said, "And he did. Well done to him." She nodded as he sighed and folded his arms, "I just hope that… he doesn't succeed in hurting any other girls like that." She shook her head.

"It's not your fault the cops are shit." Punk said.

"We're teenagers. It took place at a party. Johnny's jerk friends told them he didn't spike me, that they saw him all night… it is what it is." She said. It was easier for her to accept it than to get upset and throw a fit. She knew it was about moving on now, and somehow she felt like she could do that, especially with the support she had.

"It doesn't matter what age you are, where it took place, it should be taken seriously." Punk said, "And the whole lack of evidence shit is just… it's bullshit." Punk said, "The evidence was you being spiked, the evidence was me and Dean seeing him in the room with you… that's the evidence."

"She wants more. She wants bruises on me. His skin under my fingernails. His body fluids on my underwear. That's what evidence she wants to go forward." AJ shrugged as Punk sighed and looked at her, "I'm ok." She nodded to him, "I just need to move on." She looked up at him. He admired her strength and bravery.

"Well I'm… I'm here if you need me." He said as she looked up at him and smiled softly. Hearing him say that was like music to her ears. She immediately felt better any time he comforted her, "My mom will make sure you don't have to deal with any crap at school." He said.

"Yeah, I know. She's amazing." AJ smiled as Punk nodded.

"I'm sorry you had to go through this and… get no justice at the end." Punk shook his head, standing close to her.

"I'll be fine." AJ nodded, looking up at him. An awkward silence filled the air as they looked at one another. It was the same awkward silence that had happened a few times so far. A silence where their eyes locked, doing all the talking for them.

It was then she saw her get closer, watching as his eyes travelled down her face a little, her heart pounding as she watched him lean in, sudden realisation that her feelings weren't just one sided, he really did care about her in that way.

"Hey, mom wants to know if-" Dean paused for a second, watching as Punk immediately stepped back from AJ, turning around to Dean, "If you guys want any ice-cream." Dean said in a more suspicious tone, looking at his brother who was rubbing the back of his neck whilst AJ turned around to avoid eye contact.

"I'm ok." AJ nodded.

"I'll take some." Punk nodded, leaving the room with Dean as AJ smiled to herself and shook her head. She felt supported enough to be able to get over this hurdle, and she also realised she was way more into Punk than she realised, especially when he was leaning into her. She wondered what would have happened if Dean hadn't interrupted them.


	12. Awkward

**Awkward**

* * *

"Did I walk in on what I thought I walked in on last night." Dean said, walking into school the next morning. AJ had already gone ahead to her class whilst the boys of course took their time, being fashionably late as always.

"What did you think you walked in on?" Punk asked him casually, even though he knew what he was talking about.

"You were trying to kiss her." Dean said, "I mean, are you sure that's the right move? After what she's been through? I'm all for you… moving on from Maria, and if you like her, you like her but… maybe it's too soon, you know?" He said as Punk sighed.

"Yeah, I know that. But I don't know. It was just in the moment. If she told me no I would quit it, obviously. I know what no means." He nodded, "But… I think she was going in for it too." He admitted with a small smile.

"Why don't you just ask her out?" Dean asked, "You clearly like one another."

"I don't know how she really feels." Punk said.

"Don't be naïve. She likes you. It's all over her face." Dean said, "Take her out to the movies or something."

"What would mom think?" Punk asked, "She's expecting us to be like siblings I'm pretty sure."

"Well you're not siblings so… what's the big deal?" Dean asked, "Do you like her? Yes or no?" Dean asked.

"I do like her." Punk nodded. He wouldn't lie about it any longer. He was sure of his feelings. He knew what they meant. He cared about her like he'd never cared about anyone in his life. He was intrigued by her. Attracted by her personality, her kindness, her beauty.

"So then ask her out." Dean said.

"How?" Punk shrugged.

"Uh… Hey AJ, wanna go out with me one night?" Dean said, "How else do you ask a girl out?"

"I know but it's weird, she lives with us. What if it doesn't work out… we still gotta be around each other. It's not like me and Maria where we just split and gone our separate ways." Punk said.

"Well that's the risk you gotta take." Dean shrugged.

"Maybe it's just cause we've been spending more time together. Maybe once things go back to normal it'll fade out." He shrugged. He was very good at convincing himself out of things. Dean knew that.

"If you got feelings, you got feelings." Dean shrugged, "Quit making up excuses." He said as Punk just sighed, "Uh… I suppose we do have to go to call." He sighed to himself, pausing in the empty hallway, "Already missed half an hour." He looked at his phone, "Is it worth it?" He wondered.

"Just go." Punk pushed him, shaking his head as he watched Dean head away into his class.

Punk began to head to his own class when he heard noise from down the hall, turning around as he saw Johnny laughing with some of his friends on their way to class. It made his skin tighten and his blood boil. How he could just get away with what he did. What he tried to do. How he could carry on like normal. Come to school. Get his grades. Go to college. Like nothing even happened, but AJ had to suffer with such injustice and no help or support. It made him feel sick.

He wanted to go over there and beat his ass, but he knew it would make things worse for everyone, so he shook his head and walked to class.

* * *

"April, I spoke to the principal today and he said he will make sure that you and Johnny are in no classes together. He also said he would speak to Johnny and tell him to stay away from you. If he finds Johnny has gone anywhere near you it'll be immediate suspension and then expelled if he tries it again." Kerry nodded, "It's… it's the best I got out of him." She said, still trying to do her best to make life for AJ just a little bit easier.

"Thanks, Kerry." AJ smiled, sitting at the kitchen table doing some homework, "I just need to move on. I'm just worried about him doing it to another girl." She sighed, showing the type of selfless person she was. She knew that with time she would be able to move on, get stronger from what happened, but she was worried about any other girls being in danger from Johnny.

"I know." Kerry sighed, "I am too but… what more can we do?" Kerry said, "If the police won't take it further then who will?" She said as AJ nodded.

"I know." AJ sighed, "It's just sad that they really don't take things like this more serious. Johnny is just gonna grow up and feel like he can score and get away with things like this. I mean, he got away with this. What happened with me. It might just encourage him now he knows nothing will happen. And that's scary." AJ shook her head.

"It is. I know. And it's scarier to think there's… so many people out there who share similar stories. The world is a nasty place sometimes. People are nasty." Kerry said, "You know you have the boys looking out for you in school and I'm there too, you need anything just come to the office." She nodded.

"Yeah, I know." AJ smiled, "Phil and Dean have been great." She nodded.

"They're good boys. They know their right from wrong." Kerry said proudly.

"You should be really proud of them." AJ said as Kerry smiled.

"I am." Kerry nodded, "Speaking of." She looked on as Punk and Dean came through the door.

"Hey, did you get something sorted with the principal?" Punk asked as soon as they got into the kitchen.

"Yeah, I spoke to him. He's doing everything he can to make sure AJ doesn't have to deal with Johnny." Kerry said, "It's all we can do at this point." She said, "Your father called me. Said he was trying to get a hold of you both." Kerry nodded.

"Doesn't that fool know we go to school?" Dean shook his head, opening the fridge and grabbing a soda out.

"Apparently not." Kerry shook her head, "Dinner will be ready soon." She told them.

"I'm gonna go shower." Punk said, leaving the kitchen as AJ watched his every movement. She looked forward to getting home, because it meant she could see him more, she could talk to him, and that's all she dreamed about all day. She'd never really had a crush on a boy or any sort of feelings for a boy. Mostly because she didn't really spend time around boys, but also because she'd never met anyone like him.

"I'm gonna take my stuff upstairs." AJ said, gathering her homework as Dean watched her practically run after Punk, laughing to himself and shaking his head.

"What are you laughing at?" Kerry asked him.

"Oh, nothing." Dean smiled.

AJ got to the top of the stairs and heading into her room, dumping her things down on her bed. All day she'd thought about last night, about how he really looked like he was leaning in for a kiss. She got butterflies just at the thought of kissing him, she didn't want to imagine what it would actually feel like. But it was the first indication she got that he might perhaps have felt the same way that she did.

She walked out of her room just as he was heading to the bathroom, pausing on his way when he saw her. Sometimes things got a little awkward, but only because both of them were trying hard to think of something smart to say.

"I finished my book." She said, immediately making a face at herself at how ridiculous she sounded.

"Yeah? The thriller one?" Punk asked her as she nodded, "Was it good?"

"It was cliché but… I enjoyed it." She shrugged.

"You'll write better one day." Punk nodded as she smiled. The fact he believed in her alone was so attractive, "I'd read it but… I'm more of a comic guy." He admitted, "When I get tired of the reading I like the art." He shrugged.

"Oh, yeah. I read comics when I was little." AJ nodded, "I still read some every now and then." She said, "Now I know what to get you for your birthday." She smiled as Punk just nodded, both of them looking at one another. They both knew that the other was thinking about last night. About the what if and the possibility, but neither quite knew how to bring it up.

"Phil."

"April."

They both said in sync as they paused again.

"You go." Punk shook his head.

"Last night." AJ said, "I just really appreciated what you said, about being there for me and… helping me through this." She said, quickly freaking out about asking him what she really wanted to ask.

"That's ok." Punk said, "We are here for you." He nodded as she smiled, looking up at him as he just stared at her, both of them not saying anything, "I uh… I'm gonna go for the shower." He pointed to the bathroom.

"Right." AJ nodded, "Yeah, sure. I got homework to finish." She said, pointing back to her bedroom.

"Good luck with that." He smiled a little before walking by and into the bathroom as AJ rolled her eyes and groaned a little. It was like now they had both realised what was going on, they couldn't find the words to speak to one another without it being completely awkward.

She walked back into her room and collapsed on the bed, wishing she could have the ability to tell him how she felt about him.

* * *

Later that night, the boys were in the living room yelling at the TV over the cubs game whilst AJ was sat reading. Kerry had disappeared upstairs, keeping herself busy as usual, when there was a knock at the door.

"April, you get the door, yeah?" Dean nodded to her as AJ just shook her head and walked on out of the living room to answer the door, opening it up where she saw their father standing, which they had clearly not responded to when he was trying to get a hold of them.

"Oh, hello." AJ smiled politely.

"Hi." Shawn smiled, "You must be… April, right?" He made sure as AJ nodded, realising that Punk and Dean must have been talking about her when they went for dinner.

"Yeah, I am." AJ smiled as he extended his hand. She shook his hand politely.

"Nice to meet you." Shawn said as AJ smiled, "My sons wouldn't happen to be around?" He wondered.

"They're in the living room. You sure you wanna go in? The cubs aren't doing so good." She smiled a little.

"Oh, I gave up on the cubs a long time ago. They must have patience." He said, walking into the house as AJ closed the door behind him. She didn't get a bad vibe from him. She assumed he was just not very fatherly, especially not when the boys needed him growing up.

"Oh, what are you doing here?" Dean groaned as he saw his father walk into the living room, "The game is on."

"You're wasting your time." Shawn scoffed.

"What do you want?" Punk asked him, keeping his eyes on the TV whilst AJ returned back into the room and picked her book back up.

"I'm having a house warming party." Shawn said as Punk and Dean sat looking at the TV.

"Go! Go!" Dean yelled at the TV.

"Fuck." Punk shook his head as he watched the game play out.

"Are you both listening to me?" Shawn stood front and centre in the living room.

"No, what are you saying?" Dean screwed his face up.

"I'm having a house warming party and I want you both there." Shawn said.

"We're not the partying type." Dean said.

"It would mean a lot to me." Shawn folded his arms as Punk looked over at him.

"When?" Punk asked.

"This weekend. You don't have to stay long. I just… I want you there. I'm moving forward with my life here and I want you both in it." Shawn said.

"How nice of you to think of us." Dean nodded.

"Yeah, whatever. We'll be there." Punk waved his hand.

"April too?" Shawn turned to AJ who looked up from her book whilst Punk looked over with confusion, "I'd love for you to tag along too now that you're… you're practically family." He said as AJ just looked at him and then to Punk and Dean.

"Uh… I'm not sure." AJ shook her head, being in a party environment scared her.

"Well you're welcomed to come. I'd love to see you there." Shawn said, "I'll get out of your hair then." He looked at his sons.

"Yeah, please do. We need some runs." Dean said.

"I'll see you at the weekend then." Shawn said as Punk just nodded, watching his dad leave the house, turning to AJ who went back to reading her book.


	13. Breaking Barriers

**Breaking Barriers**

* * *

"Are you coming to my dad's this weekend?" Punk asked AJ, sitting with her the next day at school.

"I'm not so sure." AJ shook her head honestly. She thought it was sweet of their father to invite her when he really didn't know her, but she couldn't help have such terrible worries and anxiety about going to another party, when the last one she attended ended in such disaster. She knew she'd be safe with Punk and Dean, but she was just concerned as anyone would imagine.

"It's your decision." Punk nodded, "But I'd like it if you were there. It's always hard keeping Dean in line. I could use the help." He quickly covered himself as she smiled.

"Yeah, I bet." AJ laughed, "I don't know. I feel like I can… never face a party again." She shook her head.

"Hey, don't think like that." Punk sighed, "Me and Dean will be with you the entire time." He nodded, "To be honest, I'm surprised my dad even invited you, he's not normally that generous."

"Yeah, that was nice of him." AJ nodded, "I'm not sure about going." She admitted as he just nodded. She wanted to go, to spend some time with Punk, and she knew she would be safe with him, of course she would be, but she just had the fear.

"Hey, don't worry about it." Punk said, "I understand."

"I'll think about it." AJ nodded, "Maybe I'll change my mind when it comes to it. Right now I… I can't see myself stepping into any sort of… party environment with alcohol and drunk men around." She admitted as Punk nodded.

"That's fair enough." Punk nodded.

"But I will think about it." She smiled, "It's nice that's he's trying to see you more." She said.

"Yeah, I guess." Punk nodded, "It just feels like it's a chore to him sometimes. Like he has to force himself to come see us or ask us over." He said, "Shouldn't be like that." He shook his head, "He's a very selfish person. Probably why he could never be there for us."

"At least he's trying to… make up for it, I guess." AJ shrugged, "I guess if he was my dad maybe I would feel differently." She shrugged as he nodded.

"Did someone try and contact your dad when your mom died?" Punk asked her.

"No. I asked them not to. Plus his name isn't even on my birth certificate. My mom barely knew him." AJ shrugged, "I felt much more comfortable with Kerry than I would with a strange guy I've never met my entire life." She said.

"Makes sense." Punk nodded, watching as AJ's eyes got lost elsewhere in the cafeteria. He turned around to see what she was looking at when he noticed it was Johnny and some other guys sitting a table.

"Don't pay attention to him." Punk turned to her as she just turned away and nodded.

"I just hate that he can go about like nothing even happened." AJ sighed. She was over being upset and was just plain angry now.

"Yeah, I know. It's not fair." Punk agreed, "He'll get what he deserves one day." He nodded as AJ sighed, looking over at Johnny and shaking her head.

* * *

"Oh, you guys look nice." Kerry smiled as she watched her sons head for the door that weekend to go to their father's party.

"We look the way we always do." Dean made a face.

"I know, but you're still handsome." Kerry smiled, "Don't be home too late, ok? You know I worry." She sighed, "Is April almost ready?" She asked.

"She's supposed to be." Dean said, "April, hurry up it!" He yelled up the stairs.

"I'm coming." AJ called, rushing down the hair as Punk watched her and gulped. She looked stunning. Her dark, long hair was straightened and she had a touch of make-up on. Not that she needed it. She had a sweet blouse on as well as jeans. She didn't even need to try. She was so beautiful and he couldn't stop looking.

"Oh, you look lovely." Kerry smiled, "If it gets too much I'll come and get you or the boys will walk you home, ok?" She assured her as AJ nodded.

"I think I'll be fine." AJ nodded. After convincing herself on and off, she decided she would attend the party with Punk and Dean. She knew she'd be in better care with them by her side, and she thought perhaps the best way to get over her fears was to face them.

"She will be fine." Dean assured AJ who smiled, "Let's just get it over with." He groaned a little, whilst Punk continued to just stare at AJ.

"Ok, have fun." Kerry smiled, seeing them out the door as they left the house to walk to Shawn's house.

"You look nice." Punk smiled as AJ tucked her hair behind her ear and smiled down at the ground. Dean deliberately walked ahead so they could talk.

"Thanks." AJ smiled, "You do too." She looked up at him, even though he was wearing the same old casual clothes he always wore.

"Looking forward to it?" Punk asked her.

"I mean… I don't know anyone who will be there but… sure. I'm excited to see the house." She admitted.

"I don't know anyone either." Punk laughed a little, "We can just escape to a room or something." He said, "Me, you and Dean I mean." He said immediately as AJ just laughed and smiled.

"Yeah." AJ nodded.

* * *

They arrived at their father's house shortly after and whilst at first Shawn introduced them to a few of his work friends and colleagues, they started to get bored and ventured around the house. AJ was amazed that their father had enough money to justify a house so big and luxurious. She understood why Kerry was so mad at how little he helped her with the boys, financially especially.

"I don't know what I'm eating, but I know it's good." Dean said, walking into a bedroom with a handful of finger food from the trays that were out at the door for people arriving. It was very formal and all three of them stuck out like sore thumbs, mostly Dean and Punk.

"Yeah, what is that?" AJ wondered.

"Here, want one?" Dean asked.

"I'm ok." AJ smiled a little, sitting at the bottom of the bed in the gigantic room, "Is that you guys as kids?" She stood up and grabbed the frame that was sitting on the cabinet.

"Uh…" Dean looked over, "Yeah, it is." He said, "Still as handsome as ever." He smirked as AJ just shook her head.

"You guys were cute." AJ smiled at the picture of them as young kids.

"Who was cute?" Punk asked, coming from the bathroom in the bedroom.

"You two." AJ said, turning the picture around to him as Punk looked at it and smiled, "You look kinda evil but it's cute." She said

"I look cute." Punk agreed, "Dean doesn't." He said as Dean sat on the bed focused on the food he was eating just as the door opened.

"Phil." Shawn said, "Can you come here a second?" He asked as Punk looked over at him.

"Why?" Punk asked suspiciously.

"I just need you for something, come on." Shawn said as Punk sat down the picture frame and followed his father out of the room whilst AJ turned to Dean who just shrugged.

"How is the food going down?" AJ asked him, walking over and sitting down on the bed.

"Better than the party, that's for sure." Dean nodded, dusting his hands off after scoffing the food quickly, looking on at AJ as she sat quietly, "You ok?" He asked her as she nodded.

"Yeah, this… isn't so bad." AJ nodded to him.

"Phil likes you." Dean said as AJ turned to him, "I wouldn't have said it if it wasn't frustrating me. He likes you and for some reason he isn't saying shit so… maybe if I do the communicating for you both then… you'll be able to talk about it, I don't know." Dean shrugged.

"What do you mean he likes me?" AJ shrugged innocently.

"I mean… he likes you." Dean said, "Not as a sister. Not as a friend." He said, "Likes you likes you." He nodded as AJ just sat, not sure how to feel. It was nice to know that her feelings weren't wasted on someone who didn't give a second thought about her.

* * *

"Why do you need me?" Punk asked.

"I wanted to introduce you to some people." Shawn said, "Like Ted." He said, "Ted works in New York where one of the RDS branches are." He said as Punk just nodded to the man in a suit, "Ted, this is my son, Phil."

"Nice to meet you." Ted nodded.

"Hi." Punk said, unsure as to why his father was introducing him to these people.

"Your father told me you're looking to break into the business after you leave school." Ted said as Punk slowly turned to his father.

"Oh, he did?" Punk said.

"Once you get your foot in the door, it's upwards from there." Ted nodded, "I'd love to sit down with you and talk things through."

"Yeah, well thanks." Punk nodded politely, "I appreciate that." He said as Ted smiled and walked away, "Ok, what the hell are you doing?" Punk turned to his father.

"What?" Shawn shrugged, "I thought it'd be good to… let you know a little bit about the business. Different parts of it that you might be interested in." Shawn said, "I'm looking to your future."

"I'm not working for you." Punk said, "I told you that and you clearly chose to ignore it and surprise surprise, do what you wanna do." He said, "I'm not working for your stupid company." Punk shook his head.

"Phil, I'm trying to look out for you." Shawn said, "You're an extremely smart kid. You got a bright future ahead of you and… you could be making a lot of money within just a few years."

"I'm not interested in making a lot of money like you." Punk said, "Just leave me alone." He shook his head, walking away as Shawn sighed, watching him head up the spiral stairs.

Punk headed back to the bedroom where AJ and Dean were in, walking into the room and banging it shut behind him, "I hate him." Punk shook his head as Dean looked over, "Stupid dick never listens." He said.

"What happened?" Dean asked.

"He wants me to work for his stupid company." Punk shook his head, "Even when I told him no. He never fucking listens." He said.

"That's it. I'm off to steal something." Dean sighed, getting off the bed and leaving the room whilst AJ sat, looking over at Punk.

"Maybe he's just… trying to help, look out for you, I don't know." AJ shrugged, still thinking about what Dean had told her, about Punk really liking her. It gave her a confidence to be herself. To know he liked her for purely her was something magical, she'd never experienced before.

"Nah, he just does what he wants." Punk said.

"Why would he want you to work for him?" AJ laughed a little.

"I don't know. Because he's weird." Punk shook his head, walking over to her and sitting down on the edge of the bed, "The last thing I want to do is turn out like my father." He rolled his eyes.

"You won't." AJ shook her head, placing her hand on his thigh as he looked at it, "You're… way too kind, and sweet." She smiled as he turned to her.

"You think?" He laughed a little, looking into her eyes as she nodded, placing her hand on his cheek as he looked at her, not expecting her to make such a move, but not complaining regardless, watching her as she leaned forward to his lips, this time managing to successfully lock them.

She'd never even kissed a boy before. She was just acting on instinct, on her feelings, on what she wanted, and it seemed to somehow work, and boy did it feel good. He placed his hand by her neck, deepening the kiss a little as she felt his tongue wander its way into her mouth and toy with hers gently.

She'd never felt so comfortable with someone before, so attracted and so interested in them. Meanwhile Punk was just taken in the fact it was the best kiss ever, and the fact she made the move first told him everything he had been wondering about and worrying about.

She pulled back for a second, looking into his eyes and smiling as he smiled back, just to assure herself she wasn't dreaming this wonderful feeling. He then pressed his lips back against hers as she cupped his cheeks and enjoyed the kiss again, breaking down the barriers they had around one another finally.


	14. Party Gone Wrong

**Party Gone Wrong**

* * *

"What-What was that for?" Punk shook his head, finally pulling back after the kiss, after such a real and passionate kiss.

"I-I like you." AJ shrugged as Punk raised his eyebrows. He didn't think she would have made such a bold move. He knew she was shy and awkward, but he was glad she did because he could tell she really wanted to do it and that made him smile.

"You like me?" Punk asked as AJ nodded.

"It sounds so twelve year old." AJ rolled her eyes and turned away, "I… I've never liked a boy before." She admitted. She knew she could be honest with him. She trusted him. She felt like she could be open with him about anything and she knew that was super rare to find. She just hoped that Dean was really telling the truth and he really did like her, otherwise she would have been so embarrassed.

"I like you too." Punk nodded as AJ turned to him, "I just didn't know how it would come across." He admitted as she nodded, "Or if you liked me back." He admitted.

"I do." AJ nodded as Dean burst back through the door with some things in his pockets and an ornament in his hand.

"I reckon we could get hundreds for this." Dean walked over to them and showing them the ornament, not even noticing how close AJ and Punk were sitting.

"You're not taking anything from here." Punk rolled his eyes, "Go put it back."

"Why?" Dean whined childishly, "He deserves it and we could use the money." Dean said.

"It's stealing, Dean." Punk said, "Go put it back." He warned as Dean just grumbled and left the room again as AJ laughed a little, "I swear he's not gonna go far in life." He placed his hand on his forehead as AJ just smiled.

"He just really hates his dad." AJ nodded.

"Yeah, well right now I do too." Punk shook his head, "I told him last week I didn't want to work anywhere near his company. He chose not to listen. He only chooses to listen to what he wants to hear." He said as AJ nodded.

"He's just gonna run out chances with you both at one point. And he'll be sorry about that." AJ said as Punk nodded, "I mean, maybe he was just thinking about…. Helping you with work and making sure you're getting good money in. That I can understand but if you've told him no, he shouldn't… he shouldn't be going on about it anymore." AJ nodded.

"He doesn't even want to help, though. He just wants to make sure he's got cover in work. That he can lean all of his stress onto me, stress that made him cheat on my mom, leave his kids… I don't want nothing to do with that." Punk made clear.

"Because you're a good person." She nodded. She felt so much better getting her feelings out and knowing that he felt the same. She really did like him. She thought he was the most caring, selfless person ever.

Punk turned to her, looking in her eyes, those gorgeous brown innocent eyes, and he smiled. She was the most beautiful person he'd ever known. And she was kind and considerate. He wasn't gonna be afraid to be honest with her anymore, "Do you… wanna go out some time? It sounds ridiculous because we live in the same house." He shook his head, "But… like a date I mean?" He asked as AJ smiled.

"Yeah, I'd like that." AJ smiled as he nodded.

"Right." Punk nodded, leaning back in, suddenly feeling like he was addicted to kissing her just after tonight.

Unfortunately they were interrupted by Dean.

"Ok, I put everything back." Dean walked back into the room.

"Really?" Punk asked, noticing Dean's pockets were still bulging, "So you wouldn't mind me coming over and… putting my hands in your pockets?" He asked, standing up from the bed as Dean folded his arms.

"Well wait a minute." Dean put his hand up, "Don't you believe me?" He asked innocently.

"No." Punk laughed, walking over to him as they began to fake fight as Punk wrestled him around to put his hands in his pockets whilst AJ laughed to herself, "Is this Kim's jewellery?" Punk questioned as he took out a necklace and some earrings.

"Yeah." Dean shrugged.

"Go put it back, Dean. Stop being a thief." Punk shook his head as Dean just grumbled and left the room again, "He's a nightmare." Punk turned around to AJ who was just smiling.

She always thought coming to stay with Kerry, she would feel like an outsider. Like she didn't belong there. And at first, she would admit she felt that way. But now that she was settled in, now that she knew the boys, Phil especially, she really felt taken care of for the first time in forever. She felt like she really did have a family.

"So… this date." AJ stood up, "Where is it gonna be?" She asked him.

"I don't know." Punk laughed a little, "You got any requests?" He smiled.

"I don't really know anywhere." AJ laughed, a little embarrassed. She knew it was strange for a girl her age to not have been on at least one date, or the fact she actually hadn't been to most places in town that everyone had been too. Until now, her life had been dedicated to looking after her mom and making sure she was healthy. She never had the time to go out.

Punk could see she was embarrassed about not knowing anywhere to go because clearly she hadn't gone out much, "I'll surprise you." Punk smiled, "Tomorrow? I won't need to pick you up or anything I'll just.. shout across the hall." He said as she laughed and nodded.

"Sounds good." AJ smiled, looking up at him, watching as he leaned down and pressed his lips against hers again, this time his hands placing themselves on her waist to pull her in tight to his body. Her favourite thing to do was kiss him now. His lips were so soft and she felt so safe against his body, and like she actually mattered to someone.

"Well thank God for that." Dean walked into the room as he saw Punk and AJ kissing, watching them break apart right away as he smiled, "Thought I was gonna have to lock you both in a cupboard." He shook his head as Punk just turned around whilst AJ blushed a little, "You two can stay here and fuck up dad's bed sheets if you want to, but I think it's time I get going." He said as Punk just nodded, turning to AJ who nodded too.

"Yeah, let's get out of here." Punk said as they left the bedroom.

"So… when is the date?" Dean smiled, nudging AJ repeatedly as she just rolled her eyes. The reason she knew Punk was so different was because she really did see Dean as a brother. He had all the traits of a brother, good and bad, but with Punk it was different. She wanted to be held by him, kiss him, know him like no one else.

"Stop." AJ shook her head as Dean just smiled.

Dean was happy that they had finally been honest with one another. Of course he wanted to see his brother happy, and he'd grown to really like AJ the more time they spent. She really was like a sister to him and he'd always be there to help her.

"I'm serious." Dean said, "When is it?" He smiled as they got to the stairs and began walking down them, pausing when they heard a loud bang followed by screams of horror from the downstairs guests.

"What's going on?" AJ asked worriedly as Punk turned to Dean with concern.

"Stay here." Dean told AJ as he followed Punk down the rest of the stairs. AJ followed, regardless of being told to stay put, walking down to the bottom of the stairs where all the guests seemed to be swarmed in the large living room area.

"Hey, what's going on?" Punk asked people as they walked through the living room, but no one seemed to be able to say anything. All they could hear were people muttering, some panicking, some scrambling and leaving the house.

AJ stood at the doorway out of the way of things, worried about what was going on whilst Punk and Dean walked their way through to the centre of the living room, pausing when they saw what everyone seemed to be afraid of: their father lying on the ground.

Punk shook his head with confusion whilst Dean just paused. Kim was sitting down next to him whilst they could see the blood pouring out from his chest.

"Dad." Punk shook his head. It wasn't a sight either of them could really process at all. The sight which appeared to be their dead father on the ground.

"Alright, you two. I don't think you should see this." Ted walked over to them both.

"Is he ok?" Dean shook his head, not understanding quite what was going on.

"Let's get you out of this room." Ted nodded.

"Get the fuck off me." Punk shoved the man he didn't even know, walking further towards his father, shaking his head, trying to comprehend the sight he was seeing. It wasn't something he or Dean could really understand.

"W-What happened?" Punk crouched down as Kim looked up at him crying, not in any state to speak to anyone, "Is he…" Punk looked at his father, starting to realise what was actually going on.

Meanwhile AJ had gotten curious and worried about what was going on, so she walked further into the living room, pushing by people, her walk slowing down once she saw someone on the floor, blood on the carpet, Punk crouched down beside whilst Dean stood behind.

"What's going on, Dean?" AJ shook her head, looking over and suddenly seeing who it was on the floor, "Oh my God." AJ raised her hand to her mouth whilst Dean just stood in shock and Punk sat down beside his father on the floor. Very much dead after being shot. Neither of them knew how to take this in.


	15. Grief

**Grief**

* * *

"Boys, we… we need to go home now." Kerry sighed, standing in Shawn's house. AJ had called her right away and she got there as quickly as she could. She too was shocked with very little to say. She didn't know what to say or do.

Punk and Dean weren't saying much. Everyone had cleared out. The police had come around and asked questions to those who saw what happened. They also spoke to Punk and Dean but they didn't get much out of them.

Their father's body was then taken away which left them sitting in the house, not knowing what to do with themselves. They both were in shock, anyone could see that, and Kerry wasn't quite sure how to best handle this situation.

"We need to go home." Kerry told them, placing her hand on Punk's arm. He was standing beside her whilst Dean was sitting on the bottom of the stairs. AJ stood a little bit over to give them their space. She knew they weren't close to their father but that didn't mean they didn't love him and care for him. She couldn't imagine how they were feeling right now.

"Where'd they take him?" Dean asked quietly as Kerry looked over to him.

"He'll… he'll go to the coroner's office." Kerry nodded.

"Someone shot him." Punk said, standing in a daze, "Someone targeted him." He looked at his mother, "Why would they do that?" He asked.

"I don't know." Kerry sighed, it broke her heart to see them both so shocked, so taken back and so upset by this. There may have been bad blood between her and Shawn, but she'd never wish anything bad to happen to him, and certainly not anything like this. She too was upset and wasn't sure how to handle this sort of news, "C'mon, let's get you both home." She nodded, wrapping her arm around Dean as he got up, leading them both out of the house whilst AJ followed behind.

She didn't know what to say or do. She didn't think there was anything she could say or do that would help this situation. She was shocked too at the level of brutality their father was killed. To be shot in his own home during a party. It was a huge shock clearly to everyone who was there, and the police couldn't tell them anything about the suspected killer.

* * *

They got home and Dean and Punk immediately went upstairs. Kerry could sense they wanted time to themselves so she didn't disturb them and let them be. She knew they had to be hurting terribly after not only what happened, but after seeing their dad on the floor like that.

"Did you see what happened?" Kerry asked AJ, switching the kettle on as AJ shook her head.

"No, we… we were upstairs when we heard the bang. I stayed out of the way at the doorway and then when I walked through I… I just saw Shawn on the ground and Phil and Dean were barely moving." AJ said, "The police wouldn't say if they had a suspect."

"What about the people who were there?" Kerry asked, "Didn't they see who it was who… pulled out the gun and shot him?" She shook her head.

"No, I heard it was someone who just walked in." AJ said, "But there were all different stories going around." She shook her head, "The only thing I can think of is… if they were wearing a mask, otherwise surely someone could have identified them, stopped them." AJ shook her head as Kerry nodded.

"I just… I can't believe this." Kerry sighed, "There was no love left between us but I… he was still my son's father." She shook her head, "And he wasn't a foolish man to have gotten himself into trouble." She said, "I just don't understand it." She said.

"I don't think the boys do either." AJ admitted, "They're barely saying anything." She said. She knew how it felt to lose a parent, so she could sympathise with the boys. She too wanted to be left alone when her mother passed. She didn't want to speak to anyone. She wanted to be alone and that looked like what the boys wanted too.

"I don't even know what to do for them." Kerry sighed, "It's their father. I… I mean I know they weren't close at all but… he was still there, they still cared about him." She said as AJ nodded.

"I'm so sorry, for them. For you." AJ nodded as Kerry stirred her coffee and shook her head.

"Should I shout them down? Talk to them? Maybe leaving them alone is a bad decision." Kerry said. For the first time she felt like she was really being challenged as a mother, because she had no idea how to handle this situation.

"I think you should just leave them for tonight. They'll come to you when they're ready." AJ said as Kerry nodded.

"Yeah." Kerry said, "Were they questioned?"

"Yeah but… they didn't ask much. We never saw anything apart from… after everything happened." AJ said as Kerry nodded, "Is there anything I can do for you?" AJ wondered.

"No, you're ok, April." Kerry smiled softly, "Thank you. You're a good friend to the boys." She said as AJ just smiled softly, "I'll be alright down here." She said as AJ nodded.

"Ok, if you need anything, let me know." AJ said as Kerry nodded.

* * *

AJ headed upstairs and went into her room. She thought about walking across the hall and checking on Punk, and then she convinced herself that it was probably too soon, and that they probably needed their own space. But then she thought about what she wanted when her mother had passed away. And all she could think about was how she could have used someone like Punk to hug her and tell her it'd be alright. So she was going to be that for him.

She walked across the hall and knocked on Punk's door before walking on in. She saw he was sitting on the edge of his bed, as if he hadn't moved from that position since he got in his room. It was strange to see him this way when he was always so strong willed and took charge.

"Hey." AJ said softly, walking over to him as he looked up and nodded, "I just… wanted to check in on you." She said, sitting down beside him, "I'm not gonna ask if you're ok. It's a stupid question." She said, "But… I'm here if you need to talk." She said, "Or if you just want me to be here." She said. She knew how much it meant to her when he was there for her during the incident with Johnny. She wanted to be there for him. Him and Dean.

"I… I just can't believe it." Punk shook his head, "He's… he's really gone." He said, "The last time I spoke to him it was… an argument." He said, "I shouldn't have been arguing with him." He turned to her for guidance.

He felt confused and numb by everything. He also felt guilty that the last conversation he had with his father was through an argument. He wished he could have gone back and done things differently. He knew his father wasn't his best friend but that didn't mean he didn't love him and care about him. It didn't mean this didn't hurt any less.

"You can't feel guilty." AJ shook her head, "Don't let that mess with your head." AJ said, rubbing his arm softly as he sighed.

"I… I can't believe he's dead." Punk shook his head. He felt like he had to keep saying it to remind himself that this was all real life. Getting over a death in the family was never easy but when it was a father or a mother, it seemed like it would never sink in.

AJ wasn't sure what to say, so instead she wrapped her arms around him and hugged him from the side as he sighed.

"I'm so sorry." AJ whispered, "Anything I can do." She said, "Let me know." She looked up at him as he just nodded.

"You're doing enough." He nodded. He immediately felt better with her by his side. He knew that was rare for anyone to find. For someone to have such immediate impacts on your emotion. Feeling her beside him was like relief.

AJ leaned up and kissed his cheek, leaning her head back on his shoulder and hugging him tightly as he sighed. Somehow he knew he couldn't just get over this in a day or two. This was their father. Fantastic or not. He was still their father and right now he was wishing their last conversation wasn't an argument.

Meanwhile Dean had walked downstairs, feeling irritable and not really knowing what to do. He walked into the kitchen where Kerry was sitting, having let her coffee go cold as she had been staring into her own thoughts, brought out of them when she saw Dean.

"Hey." Kerry said softly.

"I was always so horrible to him." Dean said as Kerry looked across at him, "I-I never ever gave him a chance." He shook his head.

"Dean." Kerry sighed sadly, standing up from the table as she saw her son get upset. He was only sixteen and something like this was hard for anyone to go through but a young kid.

"I can't believe he's dead." Dean shook his head as Kerry nodded.

"I know." Kerry said, wrapping her arms around him, brushing her hand over the back of his head as she heard him cry into her, "It's gonna be ok." She sighed, "Somehow, it's gonna be ok." She told him, doing the only thing she know how to do as a mother, comfort him and be there for him.

* * *

AJ was still hugging Punk, the silence between them no longer awkward as their actions spoke louder than any silence. She just wanted to make him feel better, to not feel just as hopeless and upset as he already was.

"I think I'm gonna get some sleep." Punk said as AJ sat up and nodded. She could see he looked tired, and he was also exhausted with emotion. It had been a long, hard night. She didn't blame him for wanting to lay down.

"Ok." AJ nodded, "I'll-I'll let you get some sleep." She said softly, standing up from the bed as she felt him take her hand. She turned around and looked at him.

"Can you stay?" He asked her as she looked at him and nodded. She didn't have to think about it twice. If he needed her, she immediately just wanted to be there for him.

She watched as he lay down on the bed. She took her jacket off and kicked her shoes off before lying down beside him, feeling him wrap his arms around her, pulling her close to her body. Even though she was comforting him, she still felt protected by him. She felt safe with him against his body.

She felt him kiss her head and she wondered how he could possibly still be trying to comfort her and make her feel at ease when he was going through so much. It was like his coping mechanism was to protect her and keep her safe and content.

She looked up at him, seeing his eyes closed, his arms relaxing around her a little as she realised he was falling asleep already. She just wanted to be there for him as much as he was for her.


	16. Saying Goodbye

**Saying Goodbye**

* * *

It took a week to arrange Shawn's funeral and it was a difficult week for everyone. The boys found it difficult to grieve the appropriate way, as they were still shocked by what had happened. It was one thing their father dying, but knowing he was killed was hard to face.

Kerry was trying her hardest to be there for the boys in whatever way she could. They'd taken the week off school and had been back and forth to Shawn's house to help Kim with the funeral planning and also the will reading. It was hard but they were staying strong and doing their best to keep their heads up.

Most of Shawn's money had gone to Kim, but no one was surprised by that. Punk and Dean both got money too, and surprisingly he had left Kerry money also. It was hard having to listen to the will. It seemed so unfair that he had been taken so early in his life.

The funeral was large due to the amount of workers, friends and distant family Shawn had. Punk, Dean, Kerry and AJ all attended, and it was a very difficult day for the boys. They were finding it harder to say goodbye to the unmended relationship they never got to mend with their father. They didn't know how to grieve appropriately.

"Are you ok?" AJ whispered to Punk once they had lowered the coffin into the ground, the service ending as people began to clear out.

She had been his secret weapon throughout it all. There had been no clarification of a relationship, there had been no date yet, but in a way, there didn't need to be. They know how they felt and AJ was doing everything she could to be there for him. She would fall asleep with him when he napped before dinner after the exhaustion of doing nothing all day. She'd kiss him when he looked confused and hurt. She told him things would get better when he didn't believe they would.

"Yeah." Punk nodded to her.

Kerry didn't know what was going on with them. Dean of course did, but Punk hadn't found the time to bring it up to his mother, so everything they were doing had been in private.

"Phil." Punk turned around to see Ted standing, "Can I speak with you?" Ted asked, stuffing his handkerchief back in his pocket as Punk nodded to AJ who left them both to chat.

"What's up?" Punk sighed.

"I just want you to know you meant a great deal to your father. You and your brother." Ted said, "I know you didn't see him enough but he really did love you both." He nodded as Punk looked down at the ground and nodded, "And he only ever wanted you to work with him, because he wanted to get closer to you. That was it." Ted explained as Punk nodded.

"Yeah, I get it." Punk sighed, "Too late now." He shook his head as Ted nodded.

"He would be proud of you, whatever you do." Ted nodded, "But I have the branch out in New York. If you ever change your mind or… you just need to talk to someone. Someone different. Someone who really knew your dad." Ted said, "Here's my card. I'll pick up any time." Ted said, handing over a business card to Punk who just nodded and put it in his pocket.

"Thank you." Punk nodded, appreciating the kindness, "The cops aren't getting anywhere with finding who killed him." Punk said, "Did you see anything that night? Did you know anything that was going on in my dad's life? It seems… so personal." Punk shook his head.

"I didn't see anything. I heard the suspect came in and they were wearing a black hood." Ted said, "But apart from that, I think everyone blanked out in shock." He admitted, "Your dad was very open with me about business. He did things that he wasn't proud of at times, we all do when it comes to running big company's but… it was never dark like that. It was never dangerous like this." Ted said, "I… I don't know what happened." He admitted as Punk nodded.

"I really hope they find him." Punk shook his head as Ted nodded.

"Me and you both kid." Ted said, "I think your mom is waiting on you." He nodded over to the car where Kerry was standing outside, "Remember what I said. If you need anything, just call." He said.

"Thank you." Punk nodded.

* * *

"Anyone want some more?" Kerry asked, standing up from the kitchen table with her plate.

"I'm ok." AJ nodded whilst the boys sat in silence. It had been a tough day for them to have to say goodbye to their father. It had been a tough week overall.

"Are you guys not hungry?" Kerry asked the boys who had barely touched their food.

"No." Dean shook his head, shoving his plate forward whilst Punk played with his food.

"When do you guys think you'll be back at school?" She asked them.

"Don't know." Dean shrugged whilst Punk continued to be silent. He then looked across at AJ, giving her a nod before standing up and leaving the table to go upstairs.

Dean then watched AJ get up just after Punk, clearing her plate and heading upstairs.

AJ headed into Punk's room and closed the door behind her, watching as he collapsed down on his bed and groaned. She knew it had been a difficult day for both of them and she found it sweet that Punk just wanted to spend some time with her.

They hadn't been escaping to his room to do anything scandalous, they most they did was a kiss and a cuddle. It had only been a week, but yet they felt so close due to the unfortunate circumstance.

"Tired?" AJ asked him as he nodded and yawned.

"Exhausted more like." Punk said, "I think trying not to cry is harder than crying." He sighed as she frowned.

"Phil, you're allowed to be upset." AJ sighed, sitting down on the edge of the bed.

"I know but… I feel like I don't even have a right to be upset. We barely saw the guy and when we did we… we either argued or didn't say much." He sighed.

"He was still your dad. And he was murdered. I mean it's not like you could ever prepare for this. You shouldn't have to. No one should." AJ said, "You can let yourself be upset." She nodded.

"Think I'm gonna go back to school tomorrow." Punk nodded.

"Are you sure?" AJ asked him.

"Yeah. I don't wanna sit around doing nothing for any longer." Punk shook his head, "Plus, if I go back it means Dean goes back and we both need to just… carry on." He said as AJ nodded.

"I agree but you also need to give yourself time to grieve and get through this." AJ said as Punk nodded, "Do you think they'll find who did it?" She asked.

"I don't know." Punk said, "My dad wasn't a seedy guy. Sure he probably wasn't perfect, especially with his job, he probably took diversions and did things that aren't deemed legal or appropriate but he'd never do something to get him into this sort of trouble." He shook his head as AJ nodded, "I don't know who it could be. I don't know anything about my dad and his life." He said with frustration.

"And that's not your fault. You guys weren't close. That's ok." AJ said, "But it doesn't mean you can't be upset about it." She said as Punk nodded. Everything she said he listened to, and believed, because she said it with such genuine concern. He wouldn't have got through this week without her, "What did that guy say to you?" She asked him as Punk fixed the pillows behind him.

"Oh, he just told me how much my dad loved us." Punk nodded, "Made me feel even worse for arguing with him before he died." He said as AJ sighed.

"I know you feel guilty and wish you could go back." AJ nodded, shuffling up and sitting against the headboard beside him, "But you gotta think about things positively, as hard as it is. Your dad did love you. And I'm sure you loved him. He knew that."

"Did he?" Punk questioned, "Cause I think he thought me and Dean hated him." Punk admitted as AJ shook her head.

"No, he knew you guys were just… upset about things, how they played out. I bet he was super proud of you both for the way you've been there for your mom, and how strong you both are." She said as he just sighed, "It'll get better." She nodded as he turned to her and sighed.

Punk leaned in and kissed her softly. He was getting used to this. Being able to comfort himself with her support. Kissing her, hugging her, holding her… it just made him feel so much better, even just listening to her voice was comforting for him.

AJ kissed him back softly, placing her hand on his cheek. From never having a boyfriend or much of any boy contact in her life, it was a new and strange, but wonderful experience to be so head over heels for him. Kissing him was her favourite thing ever. It was like they could just disappear from the world and just be on their own.

There was without a doubt sexual chemistry there above everything else going on. He made her feel excited, he made her think about what it'd be like to be intimate with him. She knew all of her feelings for him were also built on trust. They'd already both been through so much that they just trusted one another.

AJ continued to kiss him softly, their tongues wrapping around one another. She placed her hand from his cheek onto his lower stomach, and then slowly moved it over his crotch area. He smirked into the kiss a little and pulled back.

"What are you doing?" He whispered with a smile.

"What?" AJ smiled innocently, "You don't want me to?" She asked him.

"No, I do." He said, tilting her chin up, "But we don't have to rush anything." He assured her. Whilst grieving and trying to get over this traumatic thing, he had her by his side, taking him out of that grief, putting a smile on his face, making him talk, laugh, smile. Being with her felt like it was just the two of them in their own private world, and right now when he needed to escape, it was perfect.

"It's not rushing if we take our time." AJ smiled. She just acted on her feelings, on what she wanted to do, how she wanted to be with him, and for the longest time she'd been thinking about what it'd be like to be intimate with him. To have that ultimate connection.

"What do you wanna do?" Punk asked her quietly, their faces still close as she smiled, placing her hand back over his crotch, watching him as he smiled.

"I don't know what I'm doing." She admitted honestly. She was scared in case her lack of experience would turn him off. The fact she really wasn't sure what she was supposed to do when they got close like this, but he seemed to like it.

"I think you do." Punk laughed quietly, watching her touch him over his jeans. He then unbuttoned his jeans and undone his zip as she looked at him, taking her hand and placing it at his lower stomach.

"You want me to…" She looked down at his opened jeans.

"If you want." Punk shrugged as she moved her hand into his jeans, under his boxers, finally feelings his length, widening her eyes a little when she felt how big he was.

Punk moaned a little at her touch, so feathery and light, turning to her and kissing her softly as she kissed back whilst stroking him up and down. It was something intimate she wanted. She wanted to be his special person. The person to make him feel better. To pick him up after a hard day.

She wasn't sure if what she was doing was right, but the soft moaning he was making in her mouth whilst she stroked him up and down gave her positive vibes. She was about to push his jeans and boxers down, to give her more room, when they heard someone coming up the stairs.

AJ immediately took her hand from his pants as he done them back up. She got up from the bed and stood casually just in time for Kerry to walk in the door.

"Hey, do you guys have any washing for me?" Kerry asked, not concerned about them being in the same room, she'd thought nothing of it.

"Uh yeah, actually." Punk sat up and grabbed a few bits of clothing, "Thanks." He nodded.

"I'll come help." AJ nodded as Punk frowned a little.

"Thanks, April." Kerry smiled, taking the clothes from Punk and leaving the room as AJ followed, turning back to Punk and smiling as he just laughed and shook his head. She knew exactly what she was doing and a part of him liked it. She was the light in all of this. Although, he was finding it extremely difficult to grief in the appropriate way. Was there an appropriate way? In a way he just felt really mad and confused at the world.


	17. Slow

**Slow**

* * *

"I can't believe you wanted to come to school this early." Dean grumbled, walking into the school with Punk the next day whilst AJ had gone ahead as usual.

"It's better we keep moving forward." Punk told him, "No point in sitting in the house doing nothing all day."

"Since when was there no point in that?" Dean asked.

"You didn't have to come, you know." Punk said, "I just thought it'd be best if we went back together." Punk shrugged.

"Well obviously if you go back I have to." Dean said, "Mom wouldn't let me stay off myself."

"Hey, mom said we can take whatever time we need." Punk corrected him.

"You just wanna come back so you can see AJ." Dean shook his head as Punk turned to him.

"No it's not. I just wanna get back so we can try and move forward." Punk shook his head.

"Dad's killer is out there and you just wanna move forward?" Dean asked.

"Well what else do you suppose we do?" Punk asked him, "Go out and look for him ourselves? The police are on it." He said

"Oh and we know how good the police is at taking things seriously." Dean shook his head.

"Well they're doing all they can." Punk said, "We just gotta be there for each other, try and move on. We can't stay sitting around doing nothing all day." He said as Dean just sighed.

"It feels stupid even being upset." Dean shook his head. He was extremely frustrated with his feelings, as he didn't feel it was right for him to be upset as he almost never had a good relationship with his father. He didn't have any relationship with his father in all honesty.

"What are you talking about?" Punk shook his head.

"Well we never saw him. We never had a relationship. How can I be upset?" Dean asked him.

"Because he was still our dad, Dean." Punk sighed, "And it's ok to be upset." He said, remembering what AJ had talked to him about, "We still loved him and cared about him. It wasn't like he was evil. He just… wasn't there." Punk said, "We can still be upset about losing him." He said as Dean just sighed, "Look, if you don't wanna be here, if you're not ready, then that's ok, I didn't force you to come with me."

"Well it feels like you did." Dean said.

"You can go home and wait a couple of days if you don't feel you can be here. That's ok too." Punk nodded as Dean just sighed.

"No, you're right. I should just be here and try and carry on." Dean nodded.

"You'll make it to the end of the day, and then you'll make it to the end of the week." Punk said, "Just gotta keep pushing forward, as hard as it is." He said, patting Dean's back as he nodded.

They were strong boys who had already been through a lot. They'd had struggles, fears, dark times, and this was just another one they had to get through together.

* * *

"I don't think Dean was ready to go back today." Punk said, sitting on his bed against the headboard with AJ beside as she unpacked her bookbag.

"Yeah, he was quiet this morning." AJ nodded. Kerry was still at the school finishing work and Dean had gone to a friends, of course nothing to do with Johnny.

"I felt bad." Punk said, "I don't want to push him if he's not ready but I just thought it was better for us to go back sooner rather than later." He said as AJ nodded.

"Yeah, I thought so too after my mom but… we all deal with things differently." She nodded to him, "He's strong like you. He just needs time." She said as Punk nodded, "Has the police dropped by or called with any news?" She asked him, sitting her bookbag over and sitting closer to him, taking his hand and playing with it.

Being able to sit so close, show affection towards one another to comfort each other, it was a warm and fuzzy feeling that she loved so much.

"No, they haven't called since a few days ago." Punk said, "I assume the first person they'd call is Kim." Punk nodded.

"Yeah but she'd contact you guys right away." AJ said as Punk nodded slowly.

"I don't see how so many people in that room weren't able to grab the guy who was pointing a gun at my dad. Did they all just stand and watch?" Punk shook his head, still trying his best to understand.

"Of course not." AJ said, "Everything seemed really shook and… didn't the police say that the killer ran into the house, with a black hood over his face, and sprinted back out?" She said as Punk nodded.

"Yeah which makes it extremely obvious that my dad was their number one target." Punk nodded, "I just don't get why anyone would wanna kill him. I know I didn't know my dad but… he wasn't shady. Not like that." Punk said.

"At this point we know nothing." AJ nodded, "And I know that must be super frustrating for you." She said, tucking a blonde strand of hair behind his ear as he sighed.

"I'm just trying to keep a steady head." Punk nodded, "For Dean more than anything else." He said as AJ nodded.

"You're being so strong." AJ nodded as he smiled.

"I think you have a lot to do with that." Punk said, pressing a kiss on her lips softly as she pulled back and smiled, "We still haven't managed that date yet." He said as she nodded.

"I know." AJ said, "But we've got time." She smiled.

"Really?" Punk asked, "Cause someone was keen last night." He smirked as she just looked down, going a little red as he smiled.

"Am I not supposed to be?" She laughed nervously, suddenly wondering if he wasn't thinking about her the same way she was. She wanted to be close to him, feel things with him, trust him completely with herself. Just because she hadn't experienced it before didn't mean she wasn't interested, in fact, it made her more interested.

"No, you are." Punk smiled, "I was just a little taken back, that's all." He said, "In a good way." He smiled. Of course he wanted to be with her the way she did. All he could think about every day was her, and eventually being intimate with her. But he knew he had to take great care of those moments, because he knew it was her first and he wanted it to be memorable for her.

"Oh, good." AJ said as he smiled.

"My mom normally doesn't get home until… another hour." Punk said, looking at the clock in his room as she just smiled.

"So we should do homework, right?" AJ smiled to him teasingly.

"Well…" Punk hummed as she smiled, pressing her lips against his softly.

"When she came into your room last night I freaked out." AJ admitted, running her hand up his t-shirt and up his chest.

"Well me too considering I had a semi boner." Punk shook his head as AJ laughed a little.

"That was semi?" AJ widened her eyes to herself as Punk chuckled, tilting her chin up and kissing her softly again whilst her hand travelled down his chest, this time unbuttoning his jeans on her own, undoing the zip and pushing his jeans down a little this time.

She then pushed his boxers down, their tongues still dancing with one another, pulling away as she looked down at his length. He looked as big as he felt, and her first instinct was to wrap her hand around him, stroking him up and down and turning back around to look at him as he leaned his head back against the wall.

She stroked him up and down from the base of his length to the top, kissing his jaw and up to his lips again. She wasn't rushing things, she wanted it to be intimate and special, not rushed and forgettable.

She pulled back from the kiss, looking down at herself stroking him up and down, wondering what it would feel like to have him inside of her, how close she would feel to him, how much trust they must have had to have. She knew she wasn't quite ready for that yet, but she wanted to make him feel good.

"Do you want me to use my mouth?" She asked him. She wasn't embarrassed to ask. She didn't know what he liked.

He replied with a simple nod and watched her crawl down the bed a little, continuing to stroke him up and down. She lowered her head down, placing the tip of his length in her mouth.

"Fuck." Punk moaned a little, looking down at her. The fact she wanted to do this to him was even sexier. He knew they weren't going all the way, but it was exciting, particularly on his end of course.

AJ wasn't sure how to go about things so like everything else she was doing, she just went along with what she thought, and took him into her mouth a little further each time, bobbing her head up and down on him, slowly and steady.

Punk had been with a couple of girls but there was something about AJ that was just completely different. She wanted this. And he wanted her like he'd never wanted anything in his life.

He rolled his eyes back each time she took him further into her mouth.

AJ let him out of her mouth, going back to using her hand as she looked up at him, watching as he smirked. She then took him back into her mouth, this time bobbing her head all the way down, taking him in as much as she could.

"Jesus Christ." Punk whispered to himself, feeling her velvet mouth glide all the way down his length and back up, letting him go with a pop as she smiled up at him. There was something about her innocence that made her sexier. It was like she was shy, but not for him. No one got to see this side of her. This was his AJ and he couldn't imagine anyone else seeing her this way.

AJ continued to use her mouth and hand on him, speeding up a little for a while longer until she realised he was reaching his peak.

"I'm gonna cum." Punk told her as she nodded, not taking him out of her mouth, continuing to bob her head up and down. He assumed that was her way of acknowledging him to release in her mouth.

She bobbed her head up and down on him, the sound of her wet mouth sloshing against his length filling the room, "Fuck, April." Punk moaned, finally releasing himself in her mouth as she paused, feeling his warm seed hit the back of her throat, choking down the fluids after letting his length go from her mouth, looking up at him as she saw him breathing heavy with his eyes closed and head rolled back. Hearing him moaning whilst feeling him cum inside her mouth was enough to make her wet, she could feel it beneath her panties.

She crawled back up to him as he opened his eyes and looked at her as she smiled. She thought she'd be worried about what he'd think of her, if she made him feel as good as other girls had before, but she realised she didn't even care because it was them in the moment right now. No one else mattered.

"That was amazing." Punk smirked as AJ smiled, pecking his lips and sitting down next to him.

"I liked doing that." She admitted as he smiled, leaning in and kissing her neck gently, placing his hand on her thigh as she watched it travel up to her chest.

She turned to him and nodded as he appeared to be waiting on approval to touch her further up, feeling him cup her breast over her t-shirt whilst kissing her neck. She loved his hands on her and the feeling of his mouth on the sensitive skin by her neck, but something was backing her away from going any further.

"Your mom is gonna be home soon." AJ said, taking his hand from her breast and holding it in her own, turning her head to look at him.

"No, we got time." He smirked.

"I… I don't really feel like it." AJ admitted. She wanted him to touch her of course, but she also wasn't sure if she was ready to expose herself just yet.

"Ok." Punk nodded softly, "Ok, it's… it's when you're ready. Way to make me look desperate though." He laughed a little, pulling his boxers and jeans up, wiggling his hips up to do so as she smiled.

"I just want us to go slow with it." AJ said, "Maybe if I get a date you can… touch me wherever you want." She smiled to him.

"Alright, let's organise this date then." He said as she smiled, kissing his him softly.

Things were going well, she was picking him up after hard days and their relationship was definitely progressing.


	18. Date

**Date**

* * *

"You ready to go?" Punk asked into AJ's room.

"Yeah, just getting my purse I'll only be a minute." AJ said.

"I'll meet you downstairs." Punk said, heading downstairs, walking through to the kitchen to check on Dean. He and AJ were finally going on their first date. Punk and AJ hadn't told Kerry about it, and that's why they chose a night where Kerry had gone out with her friends. God knows she needed it after that had been going on.

"Where you taking her?" Dean asked, digging his spoon into the peanut butter, sitting at the kitchen table.

"For food and then the park. The one mom used to take us when we were kids." Punk said.

"How cute." Dean nodded sarcastically, "You getting handjob out of this?" He asked with a chuckle as Punk just laughed to himself, "Wait…" Dean sensed the laugh, "Have you already did shit?" Dean raised his eyebrows.

"I'm ready!" AJ called from the front door.

"Oh my God, who would have thought little Miss Shy-"

"Shut up." Punk rolled his eyes, "None of your business what we're doing. Stop eating peanut butter for dinner. If mom is home before us just tell her we… went out for food."

"So… tell her the truth?" Dean questioned.

"Yes, well no… not the entire truth. Just… be casual about it." Punk shrugged as Dean just rolled his eyes.

"Phil, you coming?" AJ called.

"He's coming alright." Dean shook his head as Punk just shook his head, leaving the kitchen and walking down the hall where he met her at the door. She looked gorgeous. She didn't have to dress up or wear any make-up to get his attention. She was naturally beautiful.

"You look beautiful." Punk smiled, kissing her softly as she kissed back. He always made her feel good about herself and special. Like she was really his and he was hers.

Just as they were mid kissing by the door, the doorbell rang, causing them to break apart and look at one another. Punk then swung the door open to see the police officer who was leading their father's investigation, Officer Drake Mantel.

"Hey, Phil." Drake nodded, "Mind if I come in?"

"Yeah but… my mom isn't in right now." Punk told him.

"I thought it'd be you guys who would want to know." Drake said as Dean appeared from the kitchen.

"Know what?" Dean asked as Drake stepped into the house, standing in the doorway with them.

"We think your father's killer was someone who worked with him." Drake nodded, "We had a look at his recent transactions, his recent doings in work and we noticed that there's been some money missing." Drake said, "We asked his friend, close worker, Ted Braun to confirm if there was anyone not at the party that should have been but… he couldn't think of anyone." Drake nodded.

"So someone who worked for my dad killed him?" Punk asked, "Why?"

"We don't know. We don't know for sure, of course. Perhaps your dad was just having problems with the company. Maybe he didn't even notice that money had been lifted. We're gonna talk to people in the work, see if we can find anything suspicious." Drake said.

"Who would benefit from killing him, though?" Dean asked.

"I don't know, someone who… wants to run the company, someone who was jealous… could be a number of things." Drake nodded, "I wanted to let you guys know because I know you're really pushing to find out and we're doing everything we can." He said, "I thought it'd be better to stop by than call."

"Well thanks." Punk nodded, "We appreciate that." He said as Dean nodded in agreement.

"Yeah, ok." Drake said, "You look like you're going out so… I'll be on my way. I'll be in contact." He told them.

"Thanks." Punk nodded, watching as he left the house, turning around to Dean who just shrugged, "Someone who works with him? Talk about back-stabbing." Punk shook his head.

"Cops might be trippin." Dean said, "Just because they found missing money doesn't mean it's linked." He said.

"Sounds pretty convenient, though." AJ added as Punk nodded.

"At least they're getting somewhere with it." Punk said as Dean nodded.

"You still wanna go out?" AJ asked Punk who nodded.

"Yeah, of course. Let's go." Punk nodded, opening the door up as AJ stepped out, "Go back to your peanut butter." Punk patted Dean on the shoulder.

"I will." Dean said, walking back to the kitchen as AJ and Punk left the house.

* * *

"Do you think it's someone your dad would have known?" AJ asked, walking around the park which she'd never actually been to before. They'd gone for dinner and on the way home they'd taken a detour around the park that was close to them. It was lit up on the pathway and since it was fall, the leaves were falling off the trees, filling the place with yellows and greens.

"I don't know." Punk sighed, "I mean they say people who have been murdered most likely always know their killer, right?" He said as AJ nodded.

"That's true." AJ nodded, holding his hand in hers. Little things like that meant so much. It made her feel closer to him, like she was his one and only. She was taken back by how head over heels she was for him. How one boy could make her feel better about anything.

"I just want them to find whoever it was so… so we can move on." Punk nodded, "Dean is still finding it hard to accept that we can't fix our relationship with our dad anymore. He feels guilty for not giving him more of a chance. I do too." Punk said, "When he did try to see us, spend time with us, we never took it seriously and now it's all gone." He shook his head as AJ nodded. She was the best listener and he knew she could relate to losing a parent.

"I know." AJ said, "When you lose someone there's always gonna be regret I think, no matter who it is." She said, "Like that Ted guy said at the funeral, your dad loved you both. It might not have been the same showering love you get from your mom but he did love you, and I'm sure he knew that you guys loved him." She nodded, "You can't forget that." She said as Punk nodded.

"I just don't see how someone could hate him that much that they… they kill him that way, so publicly too. It's not like they murdered him when he was on his own. They chose to do it in front of everyone." Punk said, "It just seems so full of hatred."

"Yeah." AJ nodded in agreement, "I mean maybe he had beef with people at work, I guess you guys wouldn't know anything about that. Did he ever talk to you about work?" She asked him.

"No, just the times he tried to convince me to work with him." Punk shook his head, "Ted told me that he only ever wanted me to work with him so he could see me more." He said, "Which made me feel even guiltier about getting mad with him about it before he died."

"You weren't supposed to know that's why he wanted you to work with him." AJ said, "Would you have considered it?" She wondered.

"No, I barely know what my dad did." Punk said, "I know it was a really good trading company but… I mean I don't know anything else other than that." He said, "I'll just work in a video game store or something." He shrugged as AJ smiled.

"As long as you're happy doing what you're doing, who cares, right?" AJ said as he smiled and nodded.

"Right." Punk nodded, "Hopefully we can get home before my mom. She's out with her girl friends so she'll probably be late." He said.

"When are we gonna… tell her about this?" AJ asked, "I mean she's gonna start noticing I'm sure." She said, "And I feel like I'm tiptoeing around her and I don't like that."

"I just wanted to see how things go. It's nice having it just between us." Punk nodded, "And Dean of course." He rolled his eyes as AJ smiled and nodded.

"Of course but… I don't wanna lie to your mom or hide anything from her. I owe her way too much." AJ shook her head.

"You don't owe her anything. She wanted to take you in. She never had a doubt in her mind about it." Punk said, "And I'm glad she did." He nodded. He couldn't imagine his life without AJ around now. At first when she came, he was unsure of how things would be with her around the house, but now it was like she was part of his life and he couldn't imagine her not being around. She was the one thing keeping him steady when things got rocky.

"What was the first thing you thought when I came? Did you hate me?" AJ smiled, "Be honest." She looked up at him.

"No, I thought… I'm attracted to this girl and she's like my adopted sister now." He said as she laughed a little, "How the hell am I gonna play this?"

"I think you played just fine." AJ laughed, "I think your mom knows it's not anything sister and brother like between us."

"You think?" Punk asked.

"Yeah, I think she just has a hunch." AJ shrugged.

"Well good, that means she won't be surprised." Punk said as AJ nodded.

"This was really nice." AJ said, "I've never been here before." She admitted.

"You've never been to this park?" Punk asked her. It was a famous park that was close by to them. There was never a single space in Summer and in winter the fairy lights and Christmas Trees was a popular attraction to the local people.

"No." AJ shrugged, "Mom hated crowded places. She pretty much hated the outside actually." AJ nodded as Punk looked down at her. The care she'd undertaken for her mother just reflected the type of selfless person she was. He thought she was the most kindest, genuine person he'd ever met.

"Well I promise you I'm gonna take you to every amazing place you've not had the chance to go to here." Punk nodded as she smiled. He made her not feel like an alien. He didn't tease her for how little life she'd really had due to caring for her mother. In fact, all he did was make her excited about finally getting live her own life.

"Thank you." AJ smiled, leaning up and kissing his cheek as he smiled.

* * *

They got home after the walk in the park and like Punk thought, his mom still wasn't home. Dean was in his room, no doubt having fallen asleep after a very childish dinner of peanut butter, chips and candy bars.

"Is it just me or does this room get tidier every time I come into it." AJ laughed a little, taking her jacket off whilst Punk closed his room door over.

"Well I can't have you coming into a messy room, can I?" Punk teased as AJ smiled, turning around to him, leaning up and pressing her lips against his softly as he kissed back.

She backed up to the bed, feeling the backs of her legs hit the side as she collapsed down with him following over her, laying down on the bed whilst he hovered atop, their tongues still locking with one another whilst Punk caressed the side of her neck.

It was like they were taking one step at a time, even though in retrospect, they were going pretty fast.

AJ took his hand that was on her neck and placed it on her breast, cupping his cheek as they continued to kiss whilst he squeezed her breast lightly. He wanted to make her feel good, introduce her to new feelings, know her body like no one else could.

He moved his hand from her breast down her stomach all the way to the top of her jeans. It was then she broke away from the kiss anxiously and looked down at his hand waiting for permission that she wasn't sure about giving him.

"What do you want?" Punk asked her quietly. He would never assume that she wanted anything unless he heard it from her. He believed she deserved that sort of person in her life after everything that happened with Johnny. He believed every girl deserved that. He wasn't entitled to anything of hers unless she wanted it.

AJ looked at him as he lay on his side beside her, looking down at his hand resting on her lower stomach as she nodded. She was nervous, unsure but also curious as to how this would play out, but she knew she trusted him. She didn't feel like she'd trust anyone as much as she trusted him.

"I want you to touch me." AJ nodded, taking his hand, guiding it inside her jeans and panties as he kept his eyes on her. She took her hand out once she felt his hand over her most sensitive area. The only problem he seemed to have was that her legs were shut so painfully tight that he could barely do much.

"Open your legs a little." He whispered with a smile, "And relax." He added, "I'm not gonna hurt you." He assured her, and she believed him.

She relaxed her legs, parting her legs a little as she felt his hand dip into her panties a little more, feeling him part her folds, finding her clit as he began to stroke it around in rhythmic circles.

AJ moaned a little. Just the feeling of him touching her gave her a rush of excitement she'd never had before. Anticipation she'd never felt. She felt the pleasure already building up inside her just by him massaging her clit. He then began kissing her neck. The only reason he didn't go for her lips was because he loved hearing the soft moans coming from her.

"That… that feels so good." AJ moaned as Punk smiled, lifting his head and looking at her. She was stunning and he wanted to make her feel good, he wanted to be the only one to make her feel this way.

"Yeah?" Punk smiled, nuzzling her neck as she nodded.

"Mhm." She moaned softly, undoing her jeans as he watched her push them down. He smiled to himself as he could see she wanted this. He could also see she trusted him with this.

He continued to touch her a little more, feeling her wet and hearing her moaning was the right combination he was glad to see.

He then pushed her panties to the side and teased a finger at her entrance, looking into her eyes as she nodded, feeling him slip a finger inside of her as she moaned a little louder. She felt him push up against her g-spot, creating the most intense, wonderful feeling in her body that she'd ever felt.

"Phil." AJ moaned.

"What?" Punk teased back, kissing her neck whilst he thrust his finger in and out of her, using his thumb to rub her clit whilst she moaned out more consistently.

"That feels so good." She moaned, kissing his lips passionately, rolling her head back again as her eyes twitched and her body began to tingle and rise with the feeling of such intense pleasure.

He then released his finger from her and she watched him move down her body. She propped herself up on her elbows a little, watching him settle between her legs, parting them a little wider. She then watched him push her panties to the side and use his tongue on her.

"Oh my God." She moaned, rolling her head back. Everything he was doing was raising her heat beat. It was building up such intense pleasure that she felt like she could just burst. She'd never felt anything like it. Feelings his warm, wet tongue roll over her clit, his mouth around her like he'd never been fed before, she knew she was going to tip over the edge soon, she could feel it in her body.

She looked down to the sexiest sight she'd ever saw. His eyes deliberately didn't leave her. One hand held her panties to the side whilst the other curved around her hip, his tongue swirling around her sensitive area, hitting all the right places.

She loved that he wasn't rushing. He was enjoying this just as much as she was, and given that he wasn't getting any physical pleasure from it the way she was, she knew it was an important thing to have him take his time just to give her more pleasure.

Everything had built up from the soft touching, to the digit inside of her and to his talented tongue working around her, that she felt herself reaching her peak.

"Oh my God." AJ swallowed, placing her hands by her side, clutching the sheets and she felt him send her over the edge to the most amazing feeling she'd ever felt. Like a drug going through her entire system, shaking her entire body.

Punk lifted his head and watched as she came. Her back slightly arched from the bed, her knuckles turning white as she clutched the sheets, her toes curling and her juices flowing. He'd never saw something so perfect in his entire life.

He watched her orgasm, studying her every feature before kissing the insides of her thighs and moving back up her body, lying beside her on her side as she opened her eyes and looked up at him.

"That was amazing." She said breathlessly as he smiled.

"I can see that." Punk smiled, noticing her body still shaking and jumping a little as she smiled, "You taste so good." He said, dragging his thumb down her bottom lip before pressing his lips against hers.

She tasted herself on his tongue, cupping his cheek as he deepened the kiss. She knew what she felt was obviously heightened by how crazy she was for him. She knew it meant something. It wasn't just physical, it was mental too. She trusted him more than anything and it definitely paid off.

They broke apart from their kiss when they heard Kerry come in downstairs.

"I should go to my room." AJ whispered, fixing her panties.

"Oh, but don't." Punk whined, "If she comes just duck under the covers." He told her as she laughed a little.

"No way." AJ laughed, sitting up from the bed. As much as she wanted to stay and cuddle with him, take in the moment, the last thing she wanted was Kerry walking in seeing her lying in her underwear with Punk.

Punk watched her pull up her jeans, fixing herself. He knew that she wasn't ready to go the full way, but he was glad they were taking this in sections. He also knew she was making him wait to turn him on even more, and it was definitely working.

"I'll see you in the morning." AJ said, kneeling down beside him, "That was amazing." She whispered, leaning down and kissing him softly as he cupped the back of her head and kissed back.

Knowing he made her feel things she'd never felt before was great, and his new favourite thing was to watch her in such bliss. He was already thinking about more alone time with her, more dates, more time where it could just be the two of them.

"Goodnight." Punk said after she pulled back from the kiss.

AJ smiled, taking her jacket from on top of his dresser, walking out of his room and closing the door behind her, smiling to herself wildly, turning around and bumping into Kerry who had just come upstairs.

"Oh." AJ jumped.

"Hey." Kerry said in a funny tone, "I thought you'd all be asleep." Kerry said, as it was quite late on, "What were you… doing in there?" She shook her head curiously.

"Oh." AJ ran her hand through her hair, "I was just… asking Phil for some help on some school work." She told him.

"You were asking Phil for help?" Kerry questioned. She knew it was normally the boys who asked AJ for help.

"Yeah, he took history last year so… he's an expert." AJ smiled, "I was just heading to bed." She nodded.

"Ok." Kerry nodded, "Well sleep well." She said as AJ smiled.

"You too." AJ nodded, walking across to her bedroom, rolling her lives and closing the door over whilst Kerry stood in the hall, looking over at Punk's room door and narrowing her brows curiously.


	19. Suspicious

**Suspicious**

* * *

"Morning." Kerry walked into the kitchen where she saw Dean sitting having cereal and doing his homework that was due in for that morning of course.

"Morning." Dean said, "Nice night?"

"It was actually. Nice to catch up with friends." Kerry said, "What did you do? I hope you had an appropriate dinner. Did Phil cook?"

"Yeah." Dean waved his hand, not paying attention, "Hey that officer came over and told us he thinks dad's killer is someone he worked with. Some suspicious stuff going on with the company and they're gonna question everyone who worked with dad or worked for him." Dean nodded.

"Oh." Kerry raised her eyebrows, "What suspicious stuff?"

"Money going missing in places. Trades being made that weren't authorised by dad." Dean said, "I mean maybe it's some psycho who got jealous of dad making a ton of money. Someone who wanted a pay rise."

"So he thinks killing your father would be the way to get a pay rise?" Kerry asked, pouring herself coffee.

"There's some weird people out there. You never know." Dean shook his head, "Hey, I think I'm gonna get a dog."

"Oh, really?" Kerry laughed.

"Yeah." Dean nodded, "It would give me something to do. I got no friends anymore since… since they support a rapist." He rolled his eyes.

"You have your brother. And April." Kerry sighed as Dean just shook his head, "And you have friends. What about uh… what's that boy's name? Callum? You were friends with him since the second grade."

"He's a nerd. He's my friend on weekdays." Dean said.

"Hey, that's not very nice. I hope you aren't using anyone. I taught you better than that." Kerry said, "He was a nice boy."

"Yeah but he's not like me. He stays in his room every day playing… Minecraft." Dean rolled his eyes, "I have no friends I can go out with anymore." He sighed.

"What would you rather? Go out with friends who are doing really horrible things to girls? Or sit at home with your mama and watch cooking shows." Kerry said as Dean just looked at her, "Go and make friends, baby. There's a ton of people in school." She reminded him, "Or be like Phil-"

"A loner?" Dean asked.

"He's not a loner he's just… casual." Kerry shrugged.

"No, mom. He's a loner." Dean said as Kerry just shook her head, "Plus he hangs around with April." He shrugged casually as Kerry nodded.

"Yeah, I've… I've noticed that." Kerry said, "They spend a lot of time with one another." She pointed out. She didn't know if she just noticed last night because it was so late, or if it was the few glasses of wine that made her think a little more out there, but she did notice they spent a lot of time together.

"Good friends." Dean shrugged deliberately.

"Mhm." Kerry said.

"I'm gonna get a dog." Dean nodded.

"No you're not." Kerry said, "Because I'll be left to take care of it, and feed it, and walk it… and you'll just use him for cuddling at night." She said, "You aren't getting a dog."

"I'd take care of it. I need something to do. I can't stand staying in the house all day every day, especially when all I'm thinking about is… dad." Dean sighed to himself, tossing his books back in his bag as Kerry sighed. He was frustrated because he knew Punk had AJ to help him get through this tough time. He saw how they were together. They were getting through it together and he felt like didn't have anyone to really confide in.

"Baby, I don't think a dog is gonna… help you with that." Kerry sighed.

"Well I do. I'll rescue one and then you'll have no choice." Dean nodded as Kerry just shook her head.

"Don't you dare bring a dog home." Kerry warned him.

Meanwhile AJ was in the bathroom upstairs getting ready. She was putting her contacts in, standing in just her bra and panties with her clothes beside on the toilet seat ready to put on. She woke up with a spring in her step, thinking all about the previous night. The wonderful date, the… other stuff that happened.

She jumped a little when someone opened up the bathroom door but relaxed when she saw it was just Punk, "Morning." She smiled.

He was about to leave the bathroom, but the smile she gave him told him she didn't mind him around her like this. She wanted him to see her this way.

"Morning." Punk smiled, closing the bathroom door behind him, "I forgot this." He reached over for his lip ring he'd sat over whilst getting washed earlier. It was hard to keep his eyes to himself when she was so beautiful and right in front of him. It was obvious at this point they had a lot of physical chemistry.

"Think we could just… skip school today?" She asked him, wrapping her arms around his neck as he smiled.

"Downfall of having a mom that works in the school. That would be a no." Punk said, "We got after though." He smiled as she nodded, leaning up and kissing him softly. He made her feel like she could only ever be intimate and close with him. All she wanted was him. Not just physically but emotionally too. The support he gave her, the love her gave her… she hadn't felt it before. She was addicted to it.

"We got before too." AJ pulled back, tugging the loop of his jeans as Punk laughed a little. He watched as she undone his jeans whilst he stretched over and locked the bathroom door, watching her confidently sink down to her knees as she pulled his jeans and boxers down.

She felt confident with him, eager to make him feel good. It was like she was addicted to it.

"Fuck." Punk leaned back against the bathroom wall, feeling AJ stroke him up and down, looking down at her, "Take your bra off." He nodded as she stood up straight, unclasping her bra and letting it fall to the floor as he looked at her small but perky breasts. He was hard just at the sight of her practically fully naked body. She was gorgeous and the fact she was so untouched confused him yet satisfied him. He wanted to make her his.

She sank back to her knees, wrapping her hand around his length, stroking him up and down before taking him in her mouth, bobbing her head up and down whilst he looked down at her.

"Fuck, April." Punk moaned. She was unbelievable with her mouth and certainly not shy. Knowing this side of her was only a side she had for him was extremely attractive.

* * *

"Why do you want a dog?" Punk shook his head, sitting at lunch with Dean later on in the day whilst AJ was elsewhere, no doubt taking an extra class.

"Because… I… I get bored on my own now you're off doing AJ somewhere." Dean rolled his eyes.

"I'm not… doing her." Punk shook his head.

"No, you're just getting handjobs from her." Dean corrected himself as Punk stayed quiet and shrugged, "I didn't think she was like that." He shook his head, "Especially after what happened to her." He said.

"Hey, you don't get to say how she should act after that." Punk said, "She's not… like that. Whatever it is you're insinuating. She trusts me."

"Trusts your penis more like." Dean bit into his burger as Punk rolled his eyes.

"A dog. Why not get one?" Punk asked, changing the subject quickly.

"Mom said no. That I wouldn't look after it properly." Dean said.

"Well would you?" Punk raised his eyebrows.

"Yeah. I literally have no friends anymore. And I can't stand sitting at home just thinking about dad and all the times I was horrible to him." Dean sighed as Punk looked at him. He knew his little brother was in a tough place, he was too but he did have AJ to help him through it, he knew his brother didn't have that.

"What do you mean you don't got any friends? You have tons of friends?" Punk said.

"Who have all forgave Johnny and are hanging out with him again. I can't even look at the guy. So yes, I have no friends." Dean said.

"You have other friends? What about… uh… the boy from second grade? Used to throw his peas at me when he came over for dinner?"

"Callum?" Dean rolled his eyes, "He's weird."

"You said AJ was weird and you're good friends with her now." Punk said.

"No. I still think she's weird. I think it's weird also that you two haven't told mom about it. She thinks you've been spending a lot of time together and she's getting suspicious." Dean said, "So tell her before she walks in on… something." He shook his head.

"We're gonna… we just… wanted to wait a little bit." Punk shrugged as Dean looked at him.

"You really like her, don't you? Like… really like her?" Dean nodded.

"Yeah, I do." Punk nodded, "She's different. She gets me." He shook his head, "And she's been here for me." He nodded.

"Look, I'm all for it but… what happens when it goes to shit and you still have to stay in the same house as her? I mean, when you break up with someone, that's it, you don't see them again, don't talk to them… if you break up with her she's sleeping across the hall from you every night."

"I'm not gonna break up with her." Punk said, he knew for sure AJ was special. She wasn't like anyone else. He couldn't see his life without her in it now.

"Yeah, ok." Dean nodded sarcastically.

* * *

"I think we should get Dean a dog." Punk said, standing in the kitchen with his mom later that night. AJ was upstairs doing homework whilst Dean had ran to the store to get his mom some things.

"Oh, not you too." Kerry shook her head.

"I'm serious. I don't think he's in a very good place. He's… lost all his friends, shit friends anyway, but still… he stays in all the time and he said thinking about dad is driving him crazy." Punk said, "Maybe a dog would get him out the house and give him something to do."

"No, because it'll last for a few weeks and the he'll get fed up of the dog and won't walk him and who will be left with it? Me. You both couldn't even take care of your goldfish. Both died three weeks after you got them." She said.

"Uh we were little kids, how were we supposed to know you gotta feed them… every day?" Punk shook his head.

"Phil, it was three years ago." Kerry made a face as Punk just shrugged.

"C'mon, I'm worried about him. Sure he has some other friends but I'm scared he's not talking enough. I mean I have A-" He paused for a moment as Kerry turned around and tilted her head, "I have A very good way of dealing with things on my own." He said, trying not to slip up about AJ whilst Kerry narrowed her eyes at him a little with suspicion, "He doesn't." Punk said.

"Has he said to you he's struggling?" Kerry asked.

"He doesn't have to. He looks miserable." Punk sighed, "And it sucks. I know it'll get better for him, and for me but… I'm worried he's gonna slip away into himself." Punk said as Kerry nodded.

"How about I think about the dog thing then?" Kerry nodded as Punk smiled.

"We know that means yes." Punk nodded, grabbing an apple from the basket.

"Wait, Phil." Kerry said before Punk left the kitchen, "AJ was… in your room pretty late last night. What were you guys doing?" She asked as Punk gulped a little.

"Uh she was helping me with some homework. Spanish. She… knows some from her mom so." Punk said confidently as Kerry nodded.

"She was helping you?" Kerry asked, remembering AJ saying that he had been helping her.

"Yeah. I forgot about it last minute so-" Punk shrugged.

"Right." Kerry nodded, "Ok, well dinner won't be long." She told him as he nodded and left the kitchen whilst Kerry turned around, thinking to herself and wondering the unlikeliest of thoughts.


	20. Unexpected

**Unexpected**

* * *

A few weeks had gone by and whilst AJ and Punk still hadn't told Kerry about the fact they were dating, she was growing more and more suspicious by the minute as she was noticing how much time they were spending, not to mention they were constantly slipping up whenever she asked them separately about what was going on.

There had been no breakthrough on their father's case since the cops were doing digging into the company. Although the boys were finding it hard to get over everything, it seemed like things were getting a little better each day now that the shock and the reality had settled.

AJ and Punk were still spending any minute they could with one another and had been on a few more secret dates. They hadn't gone the full way physically yet although many times it felt like it was about to happen. AJ wasn't sure about it and Punk wasn't in any rush. In fact, he was enjoying the slow progress they were taking. They were getting to know one another, emotionally and physically, and he knew that would be great for when the time eventually came to go all the way.

"Where are you guys taking me?" Dean asked, blindfolded as Punk guided him into a house, "You know I don't like pranks." He warned whilst AJ followed behind, her hands over her mouth smiling as she followed them in, "Wait, can I hear-"

"Take the blindfold off." Punk nodded as Dean ripped it off immediately and looked on at the six or seven puppy brown Pitbull's running around in their little pen.

"What the fuck." Dean turned to Punk whilst AJ had already stepped into the pen and was crouched down clapping all the puppy's.

"Now you just gotta pick one." Punk said as Dean raised his eyebrows, "They were left in a box outside the street. I saw it in the paper and called the girl up, said we'd take one." He nodded.

"Who'd abandon all these cuties?" Dean sighed, crouching down and clapping them, "Does mom know about this?"

"Yeah, she's in the know." Punk said, "I thought this might cheer you up." He said as Dean smiled. He'd almost forgot about the dog idea. He'd just been trying to get on with things even though he was finding it hard after the traumatic passing of their dad.

"How do I even pick one?" Dean sighed.

"That one seems to like you." AJ smiled, nodding to the brown puppy Pitbull with a white patch on his eye, who kept nudging Dean for attention.

"Yeah, he does." Dean smiled, picking him up, "You like me, little guy? You wanna come home with me?" He asked as Punk smiled.

"They're so cute." AJ sighed as Punk smiled, watching her play with the puppy's.

Dean looked on at the Pitbull he was holding, the little guy curving into his arm, happy for the love and attention, "I think this is the guy." Dean smiled, "Oh my God, is this me… am I a dad now?" He looked up at Punk who just rolled his eyes whilst AJ smiled.

"Yes, congratulations." Punk nodded.

* * *

"He was super cute." AJ smiled, lying in bed with Punk later in his room. Any chance they got they spent their time with each other. They couldn't get enough of each other.

"Yeah. Dean's got his bed in his room. He's in all his glory." Punk laughed to himself, "I think my mom liked him too." He admitted.

"Yeah she loved him." AJ nodded, "I like that we… we adopted him and gave him a home. It's like the sanctuary for parentless creatures here." She shook her head as Punk laughed and nodded.

"Yeah, literally." Punk nodded, "You and Patch do have similarities." He teased as AJ shoved him and looked up at him. Dean had decided to call the puppy Patch due to the large patch on his white eye that was hard to miss.

"Hey." AJ said, "Are you saying I'm like a dog?" AJ tilted her head.

"No. Not completely." Punk said, "You're needy like him." He shrugged as AJ smiled.

"So what." AJ said, leaning back down on his chest, her arm around his neck, "I don't hear you complaining about me being needy." She tutted as he smiled and nodded.

"Hey, I'm not." Punk smiled, "I like it." He said. He loved that whenever they had their dates or their time alone in whichever bedroom, that it really felt like just the two of them in the entire world. Their relationship was special and different. It felt like they already knew each other inside out.

"Speaking of needy." AJ smiled, rolling over on top of him as he smiled. She definitely wasn't shy for him, but he liked that he got to see this side of her that no one else could. She was keen and full of excitement and it reflected how much they both wanted one another.

"Is my mom in bed?" Punk asked as AJ nodded, pressing her lips against his and kissing him softly. They had been planning of ways to tell Kerry. They knew it'd probably be a little strange for her to hear but it wasn't such a big deal. They were just good at pushing it off and off.

Punk looked up as she pulled away from the kiss, straddling his hips and taking her t-shirt off.

"I want to try something." She smirked as he raised his eyebrows.

"Like… what?" He laughed a little nervously, watching her undo his jeans, pushing them down with his boxers whilst she pushed down her shorts and panties. They'd both seen one another naked a lot over the past few weeks and he never quite got used to just how beautiful she was, "Wait a minute…" Punks at up a little, wondering if what she was gonna do what he thought she was gonna do.

"No." AJ shook her head, knowing what he was thinking, "Not yet." She smiled, kissing him softly. She wasn't trying to make him wait out of some sort of trust game. She already trusted him and she wanted him, she just wanted it to be the right time.

"Then what are you-" Punk paused and watched her straddle him reverse, leaning down as he noticed what she was going for, "Oh." He said as she smiled.

"Does this work for you?" She asked him, stroking him up and down whilst he placed his hands on her ass, positioning his mouth in line with her folds.

"Works for me." He answered as she smiled, suddenly feeling his tongue sweep between her folds, moaning to herself whilst she stroked him up and down, eventually taking him into her mouth as she bobbed her head up and down on him. It was the best set-up she could find. Making him feel good whilst feeling his mouth around her sensitive area, teasing her clit.

"Oh, fuck." AJ moaned, releasing him from her mouth, using her hand on him whilst he sucked on her clit, his arms curved around her hips to keep her in position. He introduced her to new feelings she never thought she would feel before.

She went back to using her mouth on him, bobbing her head up and down, holding him steady in her mouth for a few seconds as he moaned out himself.

"Fuck." Punk gasped, wondering why they hadn't done this sooner. He got to enjoy her body and make her feel good all whilst she sent him to cloud nine. He loved that she was so comfortable around him that she could ask him to try certain things. He loved seeing her confident in herself because he knew that before she really wasn't confident at all.

"Baby, I'm gonna cum." AJ whispered, stroking him up and down, feeling her orgasm approaching, his tongue teasing her clit, feeling his fingers run through her slit, building her up until she finally came, "Fuck." AJ shivered, resting her head on his thigh for a second, her body jumping and jittering as she rode out that intense high which he took pleasure in lapping up the contents from.

She took a few seconds to catch her breath before she got off of him and turned around normally, stroking him up and down and using her hand together, looking up at him as she knew he liked to see her eyes on him.

He bunched her hair back from her face and kept a hold of her head, through no control of his own, he thrust his hips up a little, watching her eyes widen a little when he hit the back of her throat, "Shit, sorry." He said, still moaning a little as she released him from her mouth.

"No, I like that." She nodded with hazy eyes, getting off the bed, pulling him up to stand up whilst she sank down to her knees in front of him, taking his hands and placing them on the back of her head, taking his length back in her mouth and simply pausing as he looked down at her.

He knew what she was getting at, so he began thrusting into her mouth, listening as his lips pierced back and forth in her mouth. It was the best feeling in the world, feeling her velvet mouth around his length, being able to thrust into her and know she trusted him this way.

"Fuck, I'm gonna cum." Punk moaned, thrusting into her mouth a little quicker as AJ looked up at him, finally feeling him pull out of her mouth, stroking himself up and down as she stuck her tongue out, feeling his warm seed on her tongue and cheeks, "Fuckin' hell." Punk groaned breathlessly before collapsing down on the bed as AJ sat on the floor and smiled, "You're insane." He laughed a little as she smiled, reaching over for a tissue and wiping her face before climbing over him to lay on the bed, "When do you think… you know, we're gonna-"

"Have sex?" AJ asked him as he nodded, "I don't know. I'm not waiting to keep you on your toes or any of that weird ritual shit… I just want it to be a special moment. I'm not scared of it." She said, looking down at his length, "Well maybe just a little." She looked back up at him as he laughed.

"When you're ready." He said, brushing her hair out of her face as she smiled and nodded.

"We really gotta tell your mom." AJ said, resting her head on his chest as he nodded.

"Yeah, I know." Punk said, "I just don't know what she'll think."

"I think she'll be fine." AJ shrugged, "If we're happy then…. She'll be happy. That's how mom's work, right?" She said.

"Yeah, I guess." Punk nodded.

"What is it?" AJ looked up at him, "You're worried." She stated. They already knew one another way too well. It was like they were an old married couple. She could sense when he was worried or anxious.

"I just got a feeling she's… not gonna react well." He admitted.

"Why?" AJ frowned.

"I-I don't know. I just got this feeling." Punk said.

* * *

"Well say something." Punk shook his head, sitting at the kitchen table with his mom the next night whilst AJ sat beside him. They'd just told her that they'd been dating for a few months and that they were really enjoying spending time with one another but… she didn't seem to be saying much.

"I'm your mom. I've known for a few weeks." Kerry said, "And I… I don't think it's a good idea." She shook her head as AJ's face dropped a little.

"What?" Punk laughed a little, not truly expecting that sort of reaction, even though he thought about the possibility of it.

"What happens when it doesn't work out?" Kerry asked, "And you both still have to live here?" She asked them.

"We know that but… that's not in our heads right now." Punk said, "We're happy with one another and… we're friends first." Punk said as Kerry shook her head.

"It won't work." Kerry said, "What about when you get a job and then… April goes off to college?" She questioned, "You want to go to college, right?" She asked AJ.

"Y-yeah." AJ nodded, almost scared to answer.

"I don't think it's doing you both any favours." Kerry said.

"You're supposed to support us." Punk said, shocked and a little hurt that she was reacting this way. He didn't know if she was just shocked, or if something else was bothering her and this was her way of venting, but he was sad she was being this way.

"I'm not going to support something I don't understand." Kerry said.

"You're acting like we've joined a cult or we've just murdered someone." Punk said, "Why can't you just be happy for us?" He shook his head.

"I'm trying to look out for you. I don't think it's going to benefit either of you." She said. Punk knew his mom was always brutally honest, it was usually what he loved about her, but he was hurt that she felt this way when he was really happy about everything going on, especially when things had been so hard after their father passing.

Well we're gonna date anyway so… what you have to say doesn't really matter." Punk said, "I just thought it'd be nice to tell you." He said.

"Excuse me." AJ said, getting up from the table and leaving the kitchen as Punk sighed and turned to his mom.

"What's up with you? I really like her. Why aren't you just happy for me? For both of us?" Punk asked his mom sadly.

"I don't want you to get hurt, that's all." Kerry sighed, "Her mom was… I loved her to pieces but she was careless. She went from… one guy to the next-"

"AJ is not her mom." Punk said, "And I think she would be really hurt if she heard you saying that."

"Phil, I just don't want things to be hard between you both. I mean if you both split up you still have to see one another every day. You know how difficult that would be?" Kerry said. She was trying to take things from a caring parents perspective but she knew herself that she just cared about her son's happiness, and AJ's too. She was just worried.

"I'm not even gonna talk you about this anymore." Punk shook his head, getting up and leaving the kitchen, walking upstairs to go see AJ.

He walked into her room where she was pacing and appeared upset of course.

"Your mom hates me." AJ said frantically, "We should just break up. She hates me. She hates us together." She said.

"Slow down." Punk sighed.

"No, your mom gave me a home." AJ said firmly, "She gave me a roof over my head, a bed, food, support… and this is what I do? This is all my fault." She nodded.

"Ape you haven't done anything wrong." Punk said, shocked to see her so frantic and worried, "We haven't done anything wrong at all. My mom is just concerned. She's been all over the place lately trying to deal with everything with my dad, work has been stressful for her… it's no excuse but… she'll come around." He said, with hope of course.

"She hates me now." AJ said, delusional, as Punk shook his head.

"No she doesn't." Punk said, "She's just worried about our future. She doesn't want to see either of us hurt. She's looking out for both of us." Punk nodded.

"I can't believe how selfish I've been." She continued to ramble as Punk shook his head, "I… she's gave me so much. She's gave me her home." She sighed.

"Yeah and you're also allowed to have a relationship with me. It wasn't in the terms and agreements that you couldn't. We're allowed to have feelings for one another." Punk said, cupping her cheeks as she looked up at him, "She's gonna come around. Give her a bit of time." He said, calming her down as she stayed quiet, taking deep breaths as he kissed her head and pulled her in for a hug as she hugged him tightly.

The thought of not being able to be with him was haunting her. It was the first time she realised just how much he actually meant to her. How much she couldn't live without him. She just couldn't stand the woman who helped her so much, not approving of it.


	21. Came Around

**Came Around**

* * *

"Kerry." AJ walked into the kitchen the next morning where Kerry was making breakfast.

"Yeah?" Kerry turned around. After sleeping on things she felt differently of course. She said what she said because as a mother, she always wanted to protect her children, and she wanted to protect April too. It was just instinct.

"I'm… really sorry if… if me and Phil isn't what you want, if it hurts you or… upsets you." AJ sighed. She tossed and turned all night. She couldn't handle the fact that the woman who had taken her in when no one else would, probably hated her guts now.

"No, sit down." Kerry sighed as AJ took a seat at the table whilst Kerry sat down across, "It doesn't hurt me and… it's not my right to say it's not what I want. I'm not that type of person." Kerry said, "I… always want what's best for my sons, and I do for you too. My immediate thought was… what happens when this goes wrong, how hard is it gonna be for you both when… you have to see each other every day. I broke up with my husband and I felt sick just seeing him once every few months." She said.

"With all do respect… me and Phil aren't married." AJ said as Kerry smiled and nodded.

"Yes, I know that." Kerry said, "But that's where my mind went. Plus I was a little hurt that you hadn't told me sooner." She said, "But I slept on it and… my son's happiness means a lot to me and… he is happy, I can see it. Especially getting through everything with his dad. You must have been really there for him and… what kind of mother would I be if I wasn't happy for him for dining someone who he really likes?" Kerry said.

"I just really appreciate everything you've done for me and… I couldn't think of anything worse than you being mad at me." AJ said.

"April I'm not mad at you." Kerry smiled, "I'm happy that you're both happy together. And I'm sorry for reacting the way I did. So negatively. It's not like me. It's just been a hard couple of months." She said as AJ nodded.

"So you're… you're really ok with it?" AJ smiled.

"Yes, I'm fine with it. God it sounds so ridiculous that I should even have a say. You're both… almost adults. You can handle your own decisions and if it's making you both happy then… all the better, I say." She said as AJ smiled.

"Thank you." AJ smiled and nodded, turning around when she heard the sound of running paws down the hall, "Oh, hi puppy." She got off her chair and crouched down to see Patch who had clearly woken up, "Hey, how'd you sleep?" She asked in a funny voice as Kerry smiled.

"Dean really likes him, huh?" Kerry nodded.

"Yeah, he's in love." AJ smiled, "I think we all are." She nodded.

"He's a very cute puppy. Dean is desperate for him to get his shots so he can take him out." Kerry smiled as AJ nodded.

"Yeah, me and Phil wanna take him to the park." AJ said as Kerry smiled. It was gonna take a while to get used to her son and AJ as an item, when she always thought of them as siblings once she'd taken AJ in, but that didn't mean she couldn't be happy and cancel out any worries she had. She could see they were both happy and that was enough.

* * *

"Ok, how does this work?" AJ asked, sitting on the edge of her bed the following week whilst Punk lay behind her doing his homework.

"Yeah, how does this work?" Punk questioned as he looked at the Spanish essay he was trying to translate, "Correr?" Punk asked AJ in the most non-Spanish accent ever.

"To run." AJ replied like it was second nature.

"Thank you." Punk hummed, "If you were a really nice girlfriend, you would just offer to translate the full thing." He smiled.

"I will later, I wanna know how this works." She said, holding a box from the pharmacy as Punk sat up and looked over.

"What is it?" Punk asked.

"Birth control." AJ said as Punk raised his eyebrows, sitting down next to her.

"I didn't know you were getting that." Punk said as she nodded.

"Yeah, it was either that or the morning after but… this seems so much easier." She shook her head, reading the prescription, "So I'll start them on the first day of my period."

"When's that?" Punk asked eagerly.

"In a week." She nodded, "Think you can wait that long?" She smiled to him, putting the pills in her drawer by her bed.

"I'll be fine." Punk waved his hand as she smiled.

"Well you'll need to be." AJ smiled, kissing his cheek around to his lips before pulling back, "You need to finish your homework first." She told him.

"What are you my mom?" Punk asked, rolling back over onto his stomach to finish his homework, "Which by the way, didn't I tell you she would come around? She's just a pessimistic thinker sometimes." He said.

"Yeah, I was just really worried." AJ shook her head, "I don't know what I'd do if she was against it." She said.

"She wouldn't have been." Punk said, "There's just a lot been going on. She was probably just shocked." He shrugged, "I knew she'd come around." He said, glad that his mom had spoken to them individually and together, and had apologised for how she reacted. He knew she would be fine eventually, "Ok, can you help me with this?" She asked as AJ rolled onto her stomach beside him and took the homework from him.

"Phil… this is like all wrong." AJ screwed her eyes up as Punk rested his head down on the bed and groaned, "Why did you take Spanish?"

"I needed another filler." Punk said.

"Just give me another piece of paper and I'll restart it." She shook her head as he smiled, ripping her off paper, leaning over and kissing her cheek.

"I'll thank you later." He smiled as she just hmm'd at him, "Your mom teach you Spanish?" He asked her.

"My mom spoke Spanish." AJ smiled, "Very little English actually." She nodded.

"Oh, really?" Punk asked as AJ nodded, "What was the deal with her family?" He asked.

"She didn't have any." AJ shrugged, "No siblings and her parents weren't in the picture. She came to the states for a better life." She nodded as Punk looked at her.

"How did you find her?" Punk asked quietly as AJ turned to him. They knew everything about one another because there was a trust there. They trusted one another so much and could confide in the other over terrible times they'd shared.

"She was in bed." AJ said, "It wasn't anything… drastic. She didn't hang herself from the ceiling or anything. I'm pretty sure that was a rumour going around school." She nodded as Punk sighed, "She got a hold of her pills and she just… took all of them, along with other stuff. She was dead when I found her. It wasn't like I caught her in time and she… died later. She was just dead." AJ nodded.

"No one should have to see their parent like that." Punk shook his head.

"We have." AJ said, "It's real life, right?" She said as Punk nodded, "How you been with… everything going on with your dad?" She asked him.

"Better." Punk nodded, "I think now that I see Dean is getting a little better it's making me feel better." He said, "And obviously time is going by. Makes it easier." He nodded.

"Yeah." AJ said, "Must be hard knowing his killer is still out there. Especially if they think he works for the same company your dad ran." AJ said, "It's pretty despicable. I mean it could be someone your dad thought kindly of, you know?" She said.

"Yeah well it probably was." Punk shook his head, "They were questioning the entire office it seemed like so… I don't know, maybe they'll find something." He said as AJ nodded.

"Yeah, hopefully." AJ nodded just as her bedroom door opened, both of them turning around to see Dean standing holding Patch.

"He ate my homework." Dean said as AJ and Punk both smiled.

"I'm sure that excuse will come in handy." Punk nodded.

"No, I'm serious. I went downstairs for a drink and he ripped everything to shreds." Dean said, sitting Patch down on AJ's bed as he bounded over to Punk.

"Hey, little guy." Punk laughed, lying down on his back as Patch crawled onto his chest, "When is he getting his shots?" Punk asked, scratching behind the puppy's ears.

"Few days." Dean said, "I can't wait to take him out." Dean smiled, "I heard you both told mom about dating." He said as Punk nodded, "What'd she say?"

"First she was a bit off with it." Punk said, "She was just saying what happens if it doesn't work out, we still gotta live with one another. Bla bla bla." Punk said, "But she's came round. You know she's not the best at thinking positive."

"Well I wouldn't after a disaster marriage, being cheated on and having to raise two kids on my own." Dean said, "But at least she came around." Dean said as Punk nodded, "April are you doing Phil's homework?" Dean tutted.

"Yes, only because he's super bad at Spanish." AJ said, "And he'll thank me later for it." She smiled as Dean fake gagged.

"Time for me and the kid to leave." Dean said, "Give me back my boy." He reached out, taking Patch from Punk before leaving the room as Punk just rolled back onto his stomach and shook his head.

"He does seem a lot better." AJ nodded. There was a time when they were worried about Dean. After losing all his friends to the Johnny incident, and then losing their father, he almost shut himself out from everyone and Punk was extremely worried about him, but he looked like he was getting back to his normal self with the help of Patch and also some new friends he'd made in other classes.

"Yeah, he definitely is." Punk said, "The power of the Pitbull." He nodded, "Maybe when we move out we can get a dog." He said as AJ turned to him and smiled.

"You think about that?" She smiled. She knew she thought about it all the time. Having a future with him. A life together. But she didn't think he would for some reason.

"Yeah." Punk laughed, "Why wouldn't I?" He asked her.

"I… I don't know, I just didn't think you would." She shrugged, "What do you wanna do after school? It's creeping up on you." She said as he nodded.

"I know, don't remind me." He sighed, "I don't know. I'll probably just get a job locally. Would you wanna be seen dating a… sales guy or something?" He laughed a little.

"Hey, I don't care where you work or what you do." AJ smiled, "As long as you're you, and you're with me." She said, leaning over and pecking his lips as he smiled.

"Well that's sweet." Punk smiled, "What about you? College?"

"Yeah, I think so." AJ said, "I wanna be a writer so… I know I can't just wing that and expect a job somewhere." She said, "Plus I like the idea of going to college. It seems smart." She said as he smiled.

"Exactly why I won't be going." He said.

"Hey, Phil you're really smart." AJ shook her head, "You don't give yourself enough credit. You could be just as successful as your dad." She said.

"I don't wanna be like my dad." Punk said firmly.

"I'm not saying it like that… I'm just saying, he built a company up from nothing-"

"You think I could do that?" Punk laughed a little.

"Well you have the brains for it. You certainly have the charm." She smiled.

"I'll be fine working at Blockbuster." He shrugged as she smiled.

"Free movies for life." AJ nodded, "Sounds good."

"Yeah." Punk agreed, "Are you nearly finished? I wanna thank you." He smiled, leaning over and kissing her neck as she smiled.

"I'm halfway." AJ told him, "When are we going on another date? I like when you show me around places I never knew existed in my own city." She smiled.

"We can go out tomorrow if you like. I mean we always had to wait to make sure my mom was out but… now we can just got out any time." He said as she smiled and nodded.

"Where we going then?" AJ asked him.

"Leave it with me." Punk smiled.

They'd been on a lot of dates already, all which AJ was introduced to new and exciting places that she'd never been before. Places that she should have been but just never got the chance whilst taking care of her mom. She loved spending time with Punk outside. Holding his hand, leaning into him to get a heat. It was special and he was so sweet.

"Ok." AJ smiled, "I trust you." She nodded as he smiled.

"Ok, you can just multi-task." Punk shook his head, leaning over and kissing her neck as AJ smiled. What was nice to know on her part, was that he really wasn't just in it to get laid. They'd just spent weeks getting to know each other's bodies, having fun, experiencing new things, and it was way better than rushing everything at the one time, although she was starting to get the itch to go all the way with him.

"Turn on your back." Punk said, his hand going up and down her spine to her ass as she just shook her head and smiled.

"Phil, I'm not finished this." She laughed a little as he took the homework and threw it on the floor, turning her around onto her back as she smiled. She then watched him push her t-shirt up above her breasts, not pulling it fully over her head.

He cupped her breasts before using his mouth to and from each one whilst she moaned softly, feeling him kiss his way down her body. She looked down as he pulled her sleeping shorts down along with her panties, parting her legs before burying his head between her and using his tongue on her.

"Mmm fuck, baby." AJ moaned, cupping her breasts and looking down as he used his mouth on her, teasing her clit. She then felt him slip a finger inside of her, rubbing against her g-spot as she moaned at the feeling. It made her think about what it would feel like to have him completely inside her, "More." AJ looked down at him and nodded as he nodded, sliding a second finger inside of her as she moaned out.

"You're so tight." Punk said before using his mouth back on her clit, feeling her tight around his fingers, only imagining what it would feel like to be inside of her.

"Fuck, I'm gonna cum." AJ whispered, feeling him push on her g-spot over and over again whilst using his mouth on her clit, the combination sending her completely over the edge as Punk smiled and watched her from between her legs.

He moved back up her body once she started coming down from her orgasm, collapsing on his side beside her as she smiled up at him, taking his hand and placing her mouth around the two fingers which had just been inside her as he watched her, feeling himself get hard just at the mere sight of her.

She then rolled them over so she was straddling his hips.

"I thought this was me thanking you." Punk shook his head as she shrugged.

"Then I'll thank you for thanking me." She said, taking her t-shirt completely off as he looked up at her naked body, watching her move down his body like it truly belonged to hers. He knew they were fooling around and having fun, but on a serious level, he knew this was as serious as he would find it. He was totally falling for her.


	22. Finally

**Finally**

* * *

A few weeks had gone by and things seemed to be heading in the right direction. Punk and AJ were continuing to date and grow closer and closer together. Kerry, as time went by, started to realise that she should have seen it coming as she knew Punk and AJ were very alike. She could also see how happy they were and that was all that really mattered to her.

"My mom is going out tonight." Punk said, sitting at the table at lunch with AJ. They still hadn't slept together yet. They were trying to find the right time where it was just them in the house, and also when they felt it was best. They'd had a few near experiences but something always got in the way.

"And Dean?" AJ questioned.

"Taking Patch out." Punk said, "You know he spends hours at the park with him." Punk nodded as AJ smiled and nodded.

"Ok." AJ smirked. They'd been on more dates, had more time alone, just really getting to know one another. AJ felt like the only person who knew the real her was him, and she couldn't imagine anyone ever knowing her the way he did. She knew she was falling in love with him. So deeply and madly in love with him.

"So hopefully there's no… interruptions." Punk shook his head as she nodded and smiled.

"Interruptions for what?" Dean asked, sitting down beside him with his tray as Punk turned to him.

"Nothing." Punk said, "What took you so long?" He wondered, normally Dean was sitting down already having his lunch by the time they got out of classes.

"I was talking to the new girl. The one that's in our history class." Dean said as AJ nodded.

"She seemed nice." AJ nodded.

"And why were you talking to her?" Punk smiled a little.

"She didn't know where the cafeteria was." Dean said, "So I showed her." He shrugged as Punk just nodded with a smile, "Take that stupid look off your face. I can talk to a girl without having intentions."

"Can you?" Punk laughed.

"Yes." Dean said, "I talk to Lizzy. Well… I did talk to her."

"Didn't you do stuff with her at the start of the school year, when you started talking to her?" Punk asked him as Dean just looked at him.

"Nobody asked for your opinion." Dean grumbled as Punk just laughed.

"What's her name then?" Punk asked.

"Renee." Dean said as Punk just nodded, "We were talking about Patch-"

"This sounds like a damn long conversation." Punk laughed a little.

"It was small talk." Dean defended, "Anyway, she used to live on a farm and had tons of sheep dogs and I showed her a picture of Patch and she was so excited." Dean said, "I think she wants to meet him."

"You're using our dog to get girls now? Patch doesn't deserve that." Punk said as AJ just shook her head and laughed.

"Uh… our dog? You mean my dog?" Dean said, looking over as he watched his new friend approaching their table, "Everyone act accordingly." Dean told them as AJ turned around.

"Hey, Dean… do you mind if I sit with you? I don't really know anyone else." Renee, a small blonde haired girl said as she stood waiting for approval.

"Sure, sit down." Dean said as AJ moved her bag to let Renee sit down beside her.

"Oh, you're in my history class too, right?" Renee asked AJ who nodded and smiled.

"I'm April. Or… just call me AJ." AJ smiled as Renee nodded, turning to Punk.

"Phil." Punk said, "I'm older. This is my little brother." Punk pointed to Dean.

"Oh, you're brothers?" Renee asked, "You don't look like brothers." She admitted.

"Good, he's fucking ugly." Dean laughed as Punk just rolled his eyes and nodded.

"Where'd you move from?" Punk asked her.

"Oh, nowhere outside of Chicago. I was home schooled for most my life. I lived in the middle of nowhere on a farm but… my parents moved into the city and that meant I got to experience high school." She smiled.

"That's a shame." Punk said as Renee laughed lightly whilst AJ watched her intently, "I heard you like our dog."

"My dog." Dean corrected again.

"Oh, yeah. He's adorable. I love dogs. All animals actually." Renee laughed as Dean smiled, "What's his name again?"

"Patch." Dean said, "I'm taking him to the park later, you're welcome to join me." Dean nodded.

"Oh, I'd love to but… I'm still helping my parents move into our new house. We've got a ton of stuff so I'd hate to just leave them with it." Renee said as Dean just nodded, "But I gotta meet him so… another time." She smiled as Dean nodded.

"Right on." Dean said as Punk turned back to AJ who was looking across at him funnily.

* * *

"She seemed to like you." AJ said, walking into her bedroom later on once they got home from school as Punk followed her.

"I'm likeable." Punk teased, not knowing she was actually being serious until she turned around and scowled at him, "Uh, woah." He put his hand up, "Are you being serious?" He laughed a little.

"She kept staring at you the entire lunch. And… and she was laughing with you." AJ said, "You barely looked at me."

"I didn't expect this from you." Punk laughed a little.

"Stop laughing about it." AJ said.

"Well I can't help it. I-I'm not allowed to talk or look at girls, is that what you're saying?" Punk asked her.

"No… I'm saying…" She paused, folding her arms, realising she was just jealous and perhaps a tad possessive. Her mind played tricks on her. She would hear voices telling her that Punk wasn't interested in her anymore. He had his eyes on the new girl now.

"You're saying what?" Punk waited.

"She just looked like she… really liked you." AJ shrugged.

"I think she was more interested in Dean, April." Punk said, "She's new, I wasn't gonna not talk to her. And you seemed to get along with her too." He said, "So what's the problem? Jealous?" He concluded.

"No." AJ scoffed, looking away from him as he looked over at her.

"Cause it's fine if you are." Punk said.

"I am not jealous." AJ tutted as Punk just smiled.

"Ok, fine." Punk nodded, "But how about I show you just exactly where my eyes always are." He said, making his way over to her as she looked up at him. He tilted her chin up and pressed his lips down upon hers, kissing her softly.

AJ kissed back, feeling that love she foolishly doubted immediately, wrapping her arms around his neck whilst he placed his hands on her waist. Her jealousy gave her all the more reason to melt into the kiss and realise that he really did just have eyes for her, and to be jealous was to be stupid.

He pulled back from the kiss and stripped his t-shirt off before picking her up and laying her down on the bed, hovering over her whilst her arms stayed locked around his neck.

"Is this helping you not be jealous?" Punk asked her, pushing her t-shirt up, kissing down her breasts and any visible part of her body as she moaned a little.

"Not jealous." AJ replied.

"Ok." Punk hummed, undoing her jeans and pulling them down with her panties. He would have hated for her to feel like he was giving more attention to another girl than her, but he knew he wasn't, he knew his feelings for her were unmatched with anyone else, and instead of saying that, he figured it'd be so much better to show her.

AJ fondled her breasts as she felt him stroke her clit in circles, settling his face between her legs as he exchanged his hand for his mouth, using his tongue between her folds.

"You're so wet." Punk smirked as she moaned.

The truth was she had been all day thinking about this, thinking about finally going all the way with him. She knew she was ready and she knew they were ready. There was so much chemistry there, emotional and physical. And so much trust.

"Fuck." AJ moaned, feeling him slip a finger inside her whilst he sucked and teased on her clit, building her towards an orgasm which she eventually reached, lacing her fingers through his hair as she sat up a little, like her body had been struck by lightning, "Oh my God, baby." AJ whispered breathlessly, feeling her whole body tingling with joy and pleasure as Punk smiled, lapping up what she had spilled before moving his way back up her body.

He pressed his lips against hers, kissing her deeply as their tongues tangled with one another, her hand cupping his cheek whilst he cupped her breasts.

"I want you so much." AJ pulled back from the kiss, "I want this." She nodded. Hearing her sound almost desperate was a complete turn on. He was already getting hard at the thought.

"Me too." Punk nodded, feeling her start to undo his jeans, pushing them down with her feet along with his boxers as he kicked them off. She then sat up and took her t-shirt completely off. She looked down at his length, wrapping her hand around him and stroking him up and down slowly whilst he kissed her neck.

"I can't wait to feel you inside of me." AJ moaned, feeling his mouth nip and tease her neck, stroking his hard length up and down.

He lifted his head from in her neck, looking into her eyes as she leaned up and kissed him softly.

"You want this?" Punk asked her after pulling away from the sweet kiss as she nodded.

"Yes." AJ nodded, swallowing, "I want it." She said as he nodded, pecking her lips as he settled between her legs. AJ looked down, sizing him up as she felt him tease the tip of his length at her entrance.

He parted her legs a little further, knowing she moved them in when she got nervous, "Don't be scared." He shook his head, leaning over and kissing her softly.

"I'm not." AJ shook her head. She wasn't scared. Because she didn't trust anyone in her life other than him. She'd never be scared of him. She was just taken back by how much it meant. How much he meant to her.

"It's gonna be good." He nodded as she smiled, feeling him run his length up and down her slit a few times before stopping at her entrance. She felt him inch inside of her slowly, feeling herself stretch around him, biting her lip and rolling her head back a little.

He leaned over her, watching her expression start to change the further he moved inside of her, until he made a last move of force which he saw a little pain expressed through her face, her mouth gaping a little at the feeling.

"Oh my God." AJ gulped, "You're so deep." She moaned, looking down as she saw his every inch buried inside of her. It was a mixture of slight pain, pleasure and so much love as she leaned her forehead against his shoulder, holding his arms.

"You ok?" He asked her softly, kissing her neck as she rested her head back down on the pillow. Punk couldn't describe how good it felt.

"Yeah." AJ nodded, feeling him start to move back and forth, moaning even louder at the feeling, the pain subsiding once she adjusted to the size and turning to pure pleasure as she felt him against her g-spot, over and over again, causing her eyes to blurry back into her head.

"Fuck, April." Punk moaned, "Fuck, you feel so good." He moaned, moving in and out of her tightness, her legs arched around him as her back arched off the bed a little. The feeling was so intense, so personal and close. She couldn't get enough of it.

* * *

"Hey, buddy. You're getting good at this." Dean smiled, crouching down to Patch who had ran back to him to give him the ball he was throwing in the park, "Yeah, you're getting good at it." He nodded, clapping the puppy, "Ok, go again." He stood up straight, throwing the ball far, smiling as he watched Patch scramble to go find it.

"Yo, Dean." Johnny called as Dean turned around, watching the guys he used to call friends approach him, "This what your life has turned into? Taking your… dog for a walk?" Johnny laughed to himself as the others sniggered.

"Better than turning into a rapist." Dean said as Johnny's laugh faded.

"What'd you say to me?" Johnny grabbed Dean by the collar as Dean pushed him away immediately.

"I said you're a fucking rapist." Dean spat, "Stay the fuck away from me." He warned.

"Saw you talking to the new girl today." Johnny said as Dean looked across at him, "Lizzy has invited her to a party this weekend, I'll be there, getting to know her." He smiled as Dean shook his head.

"Don't worry, I'll warn her about you beforehand." Dean said.

"Warn her about what? What did I do?" Johnny laughed a little, "Oh, you mean… when April was an attention seeking whore. She was begging for it that night. All over me. I was just gonna show her a good night."

"Fucking shut your mouth." Dean spat, "You know what you did. You spiked her and you didn't give her the choice. And you get to just walk away, as if nothing happened."

"Nothing did happen." Johnny shrugged, "So I guess I do get to walk away, yeah." Johnny nodded.

"Just get out of my fucking face." Dean turned around, throwing the ball for Patch again.

"How's your dad?" Johnny smiled, nudging a few of his friends with a smile as Dean slowly turned around, "Still dead? Must have been really hard seeing him shot up like that-"

Dean swung a fist in Johnny's direction, knocking him out onto the ground, shaking his fist off whilst the other guys jumped him immediately.

* * *

"I'm gonna cum." AJ moaned, straddling Punk on top as she moved up and down on him. They'd moved around in different ways, trying out different positions that they liked together. She also wanted to be on top just because it felt good. After getting used to the feeling of him inside her, it turned to consistent pleasure and she felt like she was high on drugs the entire time.

"Yeah? Cum for me. Let go." Punk nodded, looking up at her naked body on top of him, the most beautiful sight and feeling in the entire world. He didn't think they could get anymore intimate but as time went by they did somehow.

He watched her as she stroked herself, moving up and down on his length, her hips going fast, as though craving that high, watching her as she reached another orgasm, collapsing over his chest whilst he slowly thrust in and out of her.

"Oh my God." AJ moaned breathlessly as Punk smiled. She couldn't get over the intense feeling of pleasure rushing through her.

Punk turned her around onto her side in front of him, her back pressing against his chest as he lifted her leg up and entered her, piercing through her again as she moaned out loudly. Feeling full of him and feeling him hit over her g-spot, it sent her crazy in his arms and he was obsessed by just watching her.

"Fuck, I'm gonna cum." Punk moaned, feeling himself get close as AJ smiled, cupping his cheek behind her, turning her head a little to look up at him.

"Cum inside me." AJ moaned, "Give me your cum." She moaned, feeling him thrust into her hard as Punk moaned loudly, spilling himself inside of her, feeling himself twitch around her tightness as he moaned roughly in her ear, "Mmm… yes, baby." AJ moaned, stroking her clit, feeling his warm seed inside of her, these new first feelings giving her all the pleasure in the world.

"Fuck." Punk moaned, pulling out of her and rolling onto his back, out of breath, as AJ smiled, slowly turning onto her back beside him, feeling herself sweaty and sticky but satisfied with zero regrets.

"That was amazing." She looked up at him as he nodded and smiled.

"Yeah." Punk agreed, "Fuck." He said, almost in awe as she smiled.

"Was I ok?" She looked up at him as Punk looked at her.

"It wasn't a test." Punk shook his head as she looked at him, still waiting for answer, "You were amazing." He said, "Seriously." He widened his eyes. The sight of her on top of him was something he knew would give him trouble when day-dreaming. Watching her move her hips so quickly on top of him, her breasts bouncing up and down lightly, her hair over her face and her face full of pleasure whilst her hands roamed her body. He was still trying to catch his breath.

"You were amazing too." AJ smiled, "I don't think I'll be able to walk." She admitted as he laughed a little, looking down at her.

"I love you." Punk shook his head as AJ looked up at him. He didn't need to think about saying it because it was just as simple as he felt. He did love her. He knew they were young but it felt like this love would just never leave him. Ever.

AJ smiled, hearing words that meant so much, looking up at him, "I love you too." She nodded. She knew she loved him a while ago. The way he picked her up when she was doing, the way he loved her, kept her safe, supported her… she knew it was rare to find something like they had.


	23. Letters

**Letters**

* * *

"C'mon, buddy." Dean winced, opening the door to the house and walking in where Patch ran ahead to go get some well needed water. Dean closed the door over behind him, limping a little into the kitchen where he saw his brother standing in his boxers drinking a bottle of water.

Punk immediately took the bottle from his mouth and looked at Dean who had very visibly been beaten up, "Dean, what the hell happened?" Punk shook his head as Dean sat down at the table, "Who did this to you?"

"Johnny and his friends." Dean sighed, "I'm fine. An old guy came over and… shooed the away." He said.

"What'd they say to you?" Punk shook his head.

"Just talking shit about April and then… he was saying that they'd invited Renee to a party. He's just getting in my head. Talked about dad too." Dean shook his head.

"Well you gotta warn Renee." Punk said as Dean nodded, "I'll kill him next time I see him. Little worm." He spat as Dean just shook his head.

"It's not even worth it. I punched him and it didn't even feel good." Dean admitted truthfully, "It's like he wants you to hit him." He shook his head as Punk just sighed.

"Just don't listen to him. He's a loser and he'll get what he deserves one day." Punk shook his head.

"And Patch was no protector either. He just sat on the grass and watched them beat me up." Dean shook his head as Pun looked over to Patch who was laying by his water bowl.

"He knew you could handle yourself." Punk nodded to Dean, "Mom is gonna go off her head when she finds out, you know what she's like."

"Yeah, I know but… there's no hiding it, is there?" He sighed, "And I don't know how I'm supposed to… tell Renee not go to the party when I barely know her."

"You're looking out for her." Punk said, "Maybe I'll talk to April and see if she could talk to her about it." Punk said as Dean nodded.

"Why are you down here in your boxers at like 6pm?" Dean asked him as Punk just shrugged casually.

"You got any cuts? If you do make sure they're clean. Let me take a look at you." Punk said, leaning down a little and looking at Dean's face which was just a little bruised and red, with a slight cut along the bridge of his nose, "Clean that one on your nose. You look fine elsewhere." He nodded. Of course as the older brother, he always made sure his little brother was looked after.

"Yeah, thanks." Dean nodded, "Wish me good luck with mom." He said.

"Yeah, good luck with that." Punk said, "You sure you're ok? What'd they say about dad?" He asked.

"He just asked if he was still dead." Dean shrugged as Punk shook his head.

"I've never hated someone so much before." Punk shook his head, "I could seriously kill the bastard." He spat.

"Like you said, his day will come." Dean shrugged, "I'll be fine."

"Ok, man. I'll talk to AJ about having a word with Renee." Punk said, leaving the kitchen and heading back upstairs, walking into AJ's bedroom where she was naked under the sheets, lying on her stomach, dozing on and off.

He smiled to himself, feeling lucky to have her in his life, not just because he'd gotten laid but because he heard those three special words back. It was great because they meant every word of it. They did love one another. It was a love like no other. True love. Unbreakable.

"Hey." AJ smiled, sitting up in the bed, holding the sheets to her body.

"Hey." Punk smiled, "Dean's just got home. He had a run in with Johnny and his friends at the park."

"What?" AJ frowned with worry, "Is he alright?" She asked worriedly.

"He's a little banged up but he's alright. I think he's getting in his head more than anything." Punk said, sitting down on the bed beside her as she shook her head.

"I hate him so much." AJ sighed as Punk nodded.

"Yeah, me too." Punk said, "He said to Dean that Renee was invited to the party, you wouldn't be able to… talk her out of going, would you?" Punk asked, "I mean she probably thought the same as you. Wanted to make new friends. Socialise with other people. But… we know what happened there and you know Johnny would just… pounce on any sort of vulnerable person." He said.

"I'll talk to her." AJ nodded. She didn't need convincing. She would hate to know someone else went through what she did, and she did get on with Renee during lunch, despite what her brain was telling her about Punk.

"Thank you." Punk said, "I think Dean is really worried. Once she knows what happened with you then… I doubt she'll wanna go." Punk said as AJ nodded.

"I'll talk to her, absolutely." AJ nodded, "I'd hate for anyone else to go through that." She said as Punk nodded, "Is Dean hurt?" She asked.

"He's a little bruised but he's alright." Punk said, "He was saying shit about my dad too." Punk nodded.

"What is this guy's problem?" AJ shook her head.

"I don't know, he's just a dick." Punk sighed as AJ nodded in agreement.

"I'll talk to Renee tomorrow and tell her about it." AJ said.

"Thanks." Punk nodded, turning to her as she smiled, "How you feeling?" Punk asked with a smile.

"Tired." AJ smiled, "A good tired, though." She nodded. She kept replaying the events of the night over and over again, how wonderful it all felt, from that first feeling of him piercing through her, to hearing him say those three wonderful words. It had been worth the wait and it felt even more special because of how much they knew and trusted one another, "I already want more, though." She smirked, leaning up and kissing him deeply, "How long do you think your mom will be?" She asked, climbing over him, shaking the covers from her body as she pushed his boxers down.

"I don't think you really care anyway." Punk laughed as she stroked him up and down, "You're crazy." He smiled as she just hummed.

"Don't call me that." She said, half joking, half serious, tugging on his earlobe, taking his length and guiding it up inside of her.

"Fuck." Punk moaned, sitting against the headboard whilst she straddled him, her knees digging into the mattress beside his thighs, her breasts perfectly positioned at his face as he used his mouth on them, kissing every visible part he could find of her body whilst she moved up and down on him.

She couldn't get enough of the feeling. She knew this was forever.

* * *

Later that night once Kerry had gotten home, she had to deal with the incident with Dean. She desperately wanted to go to Johnny's house but she too didn't think it would do much, just like Dean didn't feel like punching him had done much for them. She done the best thing a mom could do and gave Dean some support, a hug, and some advice which he of course listened to. She didn't want his mind being messed with at such a young age like this.

Punk and AJ were in the living room watching TV together, cuddled up in the corner in all the bliss when there was a knock at the door.

"Deano!" Punk called, "Door." He said as Dean walked into the living room from the kitchen.

"And when did you lose your legs?" Dean asked him as Punk just ignored him.

Dean walked out to the doorway, opening up the door to see Kim, their father's girlfriend standing, "Oh… hi." Dean nodded. Just beause they didn't get along didn't mean they couldn't sympathise with the girl, "You ok?" Dean asked her.

"Ok." Kim said briefly, "I'm not gonna take up much of your time." She said, "I have letters for you, your brother, your mom." She said, digging into her purse, "They were… in Shawn's will, they were only picked up on because he… he had just added them into it no long ago." She said, passing him over the three letters.

"Oh, ok." Dean said as Kerry appeared behind him, looking on at Kim. There was of course absolutely no love between Kerry and Kim as expected, but Kerry always believed herself to be the bigger person.

"Are you ok?" Kerry asked Kim who raised her brows with surprise.

"Uh… I'm… I'm getting there I suppose." Kim nodded, "You?" She asked whilst Dean stood awkwardly.

"Yeah, we're doing ok." Kim said, "What are these?" She took the letters from Dean.

"Shawn wrote them. They were in his will originally, you should have gotten them back then when it was read but… it wasn't picked up on until now. Shawn hadn't long put them in." She said, "I came straight here with them." She nodded.

"Are you sure I'm supposed to have one?" Kerry questioned.

"Yeah, all three of you do." Kim said as Kerry just nodded, "I'll get going. I just wanted to drop this off."

"Thanks." Dean nodded, "If you ever need to talk. We're here." He said as Kim smiled.

"Thank you, Dean." Kim nodded, leaving the house as Dean closed the door over behind her, turning to his mom.

"That must have taken a lot for you to do that." Dean raised his eyebrows.

"No, she must be hurting." Kerry said, "I wouldn't wish that on anyone. Even the girl who my husband cheated on me with." She said, "Always be the bigger person." She patted Dean on the back as Dean just nodded, "Go give the letter to your brother." She nodded.

Dean walked into the living room, "Letter from Hogwarts." Dean waved in Punk's face as Punk snatched it from him, "Just kidding, it's from dad."

"Well I didn't think it was actually from Hogwarts." Punk looked at him as Dean shrugged, "What do you mean it's from dad?" Punk asked, looking at his letter with his name on it.

"I mean, the letter in your hand right now, is from our father." Dean said, "From his will."

"The will was read weeks ago." Punk shook his head.

"Well these were added not long ago so they must have been forgotten." Dean said as Punk just nodded.

"I'll… I'll open it later." Punk said.

* * *

Later that night, Punk was sitting on the edge of AJ's bed. She was fast asleep behind him in her bed whilst he sat holding the letter from his dad. His mom had already opened hers and she had shed a couple of tears of course. Dean opened his too and had been quiet since. He knew it would be upsetting, and that was all the more reason to not read it just yet.

"Hey, are you gonna get in?" AJ moaned a little, waking up and turning around in bed, tracing her fingers around his back.

"Uh yeah." Punk nodded, twirling the letter round in his hands. They took turns of sleeping in each other's room, although they normally opted for AJ's since it was always tidier.

"Good, I'm getting cold." AJ said as he nodded, opening up her bedside drawer and stuffing the letter in. He wasn't quite ready to read final words from his father. For some reason he just couldn't face it.

He closed AJ's drawer back over and got into bed beside her, lying down as she immediately curled into him.

"I love you." AJ smiled, looking up at him her favourite thing to say now that she could say it so freely.

"I love you too." Punk said, leaning down and kissing her softly, pulling back as she rested into his chest comfortably. She meant everything to him.


	24. In The Work Place

**In The Work Place**

* * *

"I heard your little girlfriend is… out telling girls not to come to my parties anymore." Johnny walked into the boys toilets in school as Punk turned around, doing his fly up and washing his hands, ignoring Johnny as best he could, "I need you to tell her to back off." Johnny said, walking further into the toilets as Punk just turned around to him.

"How about you back off? From my little brother. From my girlfriend." Punk said, "From ruining every girls life that you invite your stupid parties. Or else I'll just kick your teeth down your throat." He shook his head as Johnny smiled.

"You're scarier than your brother, I'll give you that." Johnny smiled, "But you have no business spreading lies about me-"

"Lies?" Punk laughed, "None of what is said about you is a lie. You think your entitled to girls just because they're drunk, or you… you get them drunk so that you can feel entitled to them. Without a yes, or a nod, or any sort of consent… that makes you a rapist." Punk nodded.

"April is just so desperate. She wants people to think that I… I wanted her." Johnny said, "I wouldn't touch her with a bargepole." Johnny said as Punk grabbed him by the neck and pushed him against the wall.

"You don't mention her name. I warned you." Punk spat, "And you don't go anywhere near my little brother. You lay another finger on him then I will make sure you never, ever show your face in this school again." He said, "Quit while you're ahead and leave us alone." Punk spat, banging his head off the wall and letting him go, turning around.

"You know…" Johnny began, massaging his neck as Punk paused, "You and April are perfect for each other. You both aren't exactly sane and… finding a parent dead must be pretty hard." He said as Punk slowly turned around, "How is life without daddy? Must be hard." Johnny pouted as Punk immediately tackled him through a cubicle door.

* * *

"Kerry." Ross, the Principal walked into the school office as Kerry was on the phone, "I need you, right now if possible." He interrupted as Kerry looked at him.

"Could I call you back?" She spoke into the phone, putting it down once arranging a call back, looking up at Ross, "What?" Kerry shook her head.

"Come with me." Ross said as Kerry stood up and followed him out of the office she worked in, walking down the corridor and into his own office where saw Punk sitting with the most messed up face she'd ever seen either of her boys with, and they'd both been in a lot of scraps.

"Phil." Kerry gasped, "Oh my God." She walked over to him, "Are you ok?" She asked him.

"Believe it or not, that's him cleaned up." Ross said, sitting down behind his desk, "I've had to block off the boys toilets. Your son and Johnny had themselves a fight this afternoon. Johnny was taken to hospital." Ross said whilst Punk sat on the chair, not looking at his mom as Kerry placed her hand on her forehead, "The nurse believed he had a concussion so… we sent him just to be safe." He said.

"Well… what happened?" Kerry shook her head, turning to Punk who was looking down.

"Phil said he was speaking about April and Dean, and also about… their father." Ross said, "I know things have been tough at home-"

"No, wait." Kerry put her hand up, "You don't know anything about how my son's feel. So don't start there." She said, "That boy has been targeting my youngest son, Dean for weeks now. He was beat up yesterday in the park whilst walking the dog." Kerry said.

"Phil has told me all of this. And I understand." Ross nodded as Kerry looked at him. She was always ready to defend her son's no matter what, "Johnny provoked Phil but… I can't tolerate this level of violence. Those toilets are a mess. A sink has came down. That costs money that this school doesn't have to repair. A door has been broken. The cleaners are gonna have to clean blood from the walls… it's terrible." Ross emphasised as Punk stayed quiet, "But I know you aren't like this, Phil."

"I told Johnny to stay away from me, Dean and April. That's what I asked him. He didn't do that. He then brought my dad into it." Punk said, "He got what he deserved." He shook his head as Ross looked at him.

"Phil, I have to suspend you. You know that, right?"

"What?" Kerry shook her head, "You said it yourself, that boy provoked him. He's been tormenting my son's and let's not forget what he did to April. He was warned to stay away and he didn't. That is not Phil's fault."

"That boy is in hospital. He looks like he's been in a car accident. Our school toilets are ruined. Phil will be suspended, Kerry. For three days." Ross said firmly, "And so will Johnny. I'm not picking sides." He made clear as Kerry sighed.

"And then what? I asked you to tell Johnny to stay away from them, that isn't working out very well."

"I'll need to speak to him again." Ross said, "You need to go home, young man. Think about your decisions. Maybe your brother can get any work you need to do, so you can do some at home." Ross nodded as Punk just stayed quiet and nodded, "You can leave my office. Both of you." He said as Punk stood up, his body sore from the extremely aggressive fight.

Kerry walked out of the office with him and walked out of the school doors so she could talk to him in private, "Phil, really? You're better than this."

"He got what he deserved. For going near Dean. For talking about dad. Doing what he did to April. I don't care." Punk shook his head.

"You shouldn't stoop to his level. I always tell you that. Now you're suspended." Kerry sighed.

"I'll do work at home." Punk shook his head as Kerry just sighed.

"Just get home safe." Kerry sighed, rubbing his arm softly as Punk just nodded, walking off out of the school.

* * *

"Look at your face." AJ sighed, sitting on the couch with her legs in a basket beside Punk, looking on at him and his bruised face. As soon as she heard about what happened between Punk and Johnny she left her last class and came home.

"It's fine." Punk shook his head.

"Phil." AJ tutted, "It's not fine. I don't know why they had to suspend you."

"Because he's in hospital. And I broke their precious toilets." Punk said, "That's why they had to suspend me." He turned to her as she sighed.

"You're better than this." AJ said.

"And you sound like my mom." Punk sighed, running his hand over his face and then wincing when he remembered how badly he was beaten up.

"Well it's true." AJ said.

"He was saying shit about you and then brought up my dad. I just snapped. Ok? I'm allowed to snap." He said

"Ok." AJ said softly, realising he just needed comfort, "Ok." She said, leaning forward and hugging him softly as Punk hugged her back, resting his chin over her head as she sighed, "I convinced Renee out of the party, so I guess that was successful." She said.

"Good, I'm glad." Punk nodded.

"She was horrified when I told her. She's… going out with Dean now instead actually." She smiled up at him.

"Well that's a much better exchange. Let me guess… they're taking Patch out?" Punk smiled as AJ nodded.

"Yeah. It's good. Dean really likes her I think." AJ smiled as Punk nodded, "I really like her actually, she's sweet." She nodded, "What did they say was wrong with Johnny?"

"Concussion." Punk said, "Few cracked ribs maybe." He shrugged, "It's what he deserves. I'm fed up of him." He said. And it was just that. He was fed up of it. He was fed up of the comments, the tormenting, the targeting his little brother. He snapped and gave Johnny exactly what he deserved.

"Maybe this will be enough to… really keep him away." AJ sighed as Punk nodded, "I hate seeing you're facing like this. I wanna… kiss it better." She sighed, kissing his cheek, his chin and then to his lips, kissing him gently as he kissed back.

He picked her up from the couch and walked out of the living room, walking upstairs with her, continuing to kiss her deeply and walking all the way into her bedroom before he put her down.

He placed her on the ground, shutting the door over and turning around to see her already stripping her clothes off to nakedness.

"What?" She shrugged innocently, "You want me to… put my clothes back on?" She asked him. In response he stripped his t-shirt off, watching her sit back on the bed, parting her legs and stroking herself as he stood at the edge of the bed.

He pulled her closer to the edge by the hips, watching her lick her hand and stroke him up and down once his jeans and boxers were down. Knowing he would defend her until the very end, knowing how loyal he was to his loved ones was the trait she loved the most about him. He would defend her until his last breath, she believed that.

Punk pulled her down the bed by her hips, standing at the edge, holding her up a little so she was perfectly positioned for him to slide into her, lining himself up with her and pushing inside of her.

"Fuck." AJ grabbed the sheets around her. It was like now that she'd had a taste of that feeling of him inside her, she just wanted it more and more.

Punk knew he could get lost with her, forget about what happened earlier in the day, shut the world completely off. It was the best way. She was his safe place. His coping mechanism.

* * *

"You look like a thug." AJ said, lying on top of his naked body later on, resting her chin on his chest as he looked down, "All bruised and beaten." She said, caressing his cheek, "It's kinda sexy."

"What?" Punk laughed.

"It is." AJ smiled, "I love how protective you get over… people you love." She said, "Not many people would wanna end up looking like this just to defend someone. It takes a man." She nodded, trailing her finger along his chest as he smiled.

"I couldn't let him run his mouth anymore." Punk sighed, "Now I gotta be all suspended and be all alone here for three days." He said.

"Maybe I'll play sick and stay at home with you." She smiled.

"You know my mom wouldn't buy that." Punk laughed a little, "But hey go ahead and try it." He nodded as she smiled.

"I will." AJ smiled, "I'm gonna go for a shower." She said, rolling off of him and standing off the bed as he tapped her ass, causing her to smile, opening up her underwear drawer and taking some out, noticing the letter stuffed down the side, "Why'd you put this in here?" AJ frowned, passing the letter to him, "You'll forget it's there." She said.

"Oh, yeah." Punk nodded.

"Keep it somewhere safe." AJ told him, walking out of the bedroom as Punk's eyes followed her naked body until it disappeared.

He looked at the letter and sighed to himself, sitting up on the bed, putting his boxers on and walking across the hall into his bedroom. He put the letter into his own bedside drawer. For some reason, he just couldn't face reading his father's final words to him.

Just as he shut the drawer over, he heard a knock at the door downstairs. He put on some clothes and headed downstairs, opening up the door to see the police officer, Drake, standing.

"Shit." Drake looked at Punk's face, "What you been up to?" He shook his head as Punk rolled his eyes.

"Just a school fight." Punk said.

"Does he look worse than you?" Drake asked.

"A little." Punk said sarcastically, "What you doing here?" He asked, letting him into the doorway.

"Just wanted to give you an update on things." Drake said, "So we interviewed all the guys and girls who worked closely with your dad. We didn't find anything out of the norm." He nodded, "But we did find something."

"What'd you find?" Punk asked curiously.

"Working with our tech team, they got into the computers in your father's main offices. One of the computers had a purchase of a gun on it. Unfortunately it was one of the service computers so… it wasn't signed into anyone's account when the purchase was made."

"When was the purchase made? You sure it was for my dad? A lot of people own guns." Punk said.

"It was a match with the murder weapon. They also bought bullets and it was the same bullets that we took out of your father's chest." He said as Punk nodded slowly.

"So when was the purchase made?" Punk asked.

"The night before your dad was shot." Drake said.

"Well can't you look back on CCTV, see who used that computer that day, see who was in work that day."

"Your father has thousands of employees in that building and he also made it clear when he built the company that he didn't want CCTV cameras. He had a level of trust with his workers, so he said." Drake said, "We managed to find where the gun was being delivered to, we went to the address but it's just an old abandoned warehouse outside the city. So we're doing what we can to find out who was along that road the night before your dad was killed. It's a tough one."

"Yeah, no kidding." Punk said, "How can you just buy a gun online?" Punk made a face, "I'm pretty sure you need a licence."

"I forgot you were a kid." Drake sighed to himself, "You can get illegal things from bad people online." He said in a voice which insinuated Punk was stupid.

"Yeah, ok. Don't talk to me like I'm three. I didn't think it was that easy." Punk said.

"Oh, yeah." Drake nodded, "I just wanted to keep you updated."

"So it's… definitely someone who worked with him? Isn't it dumb that they bought the gun in the office?"

"They must have known there was no cameras and they used the service computer so… they knew it wouldn't track to anyone." Drake said, "It's definitely not been a spontaneous decision to go kill your father. This… seems planned, schemed." Drake nodded.

"He must have done something to piss this person off. Haven't you asked anyone if my dad had beef with any of the workers?"

"Oh, yeah." Drake nodded, "But no, nothing." Drake said, "We've also been interviewing the people at the New York offices, given what we found on the computer here in Chicago, there seems to be no point but… we're doing everything."

"Well I appreciate that." Punk nodded.

"Your dad also had a file on his desktop with your name on it. We tried to get into it but… there's a password for it." Drake said.

"My name?" Punk asked as Drake nodded.

"Yeah." Drake said, "Maybe some photographs or something I don't know." He said as Punk just nodded slowly, "I'll get going. I'll pop back with anymore information."

"Yeah, thanks." Punk said.

"And stop fighting in school." Drake said, leaving the house as Punk closed the door over behind him.


	25. Read It

**Read It**

* * *

"I spoke to your principal today after school finished. He said that… he's gonna make sure Johnny knows that the next time he comes near either of you, or he says anything he shouldn't… he will be expelled from the school." Kerry nodded.

"Oh, so they wouldn't expel him when he tried to rape AJ but they'll expel him now because he damaged their toilets?" Punk questioned, "Seems about right." He shook his head.

"You look like a mess." Dean sat across from him at the table, shaking his head.

"Thanks." Punk nodded.

"Where is April?" Kerry asked.

"Upstairs." Punk said, "She spoke to Renee and managed to convince her not to go to the party." He said as Dean nodded.

"Yeah, she's going out with me instead." Dean nodded.

"Oh." Kerry turned around, "Are you going out on a date?" She smiled.

"No… I don't know what it is. I think she's more interested in seeing Patch to be honest." He said

"I'm sure you can work your magic." Punk smiled, "Don't let Patch take too much spotlight."

"He always takes my spotlight now." Dean said, looking over at Patch who was sleeping in his little bed.

"No wonder. He's super cute." Kerry smiled, "I might start using him to get myself a date." She said as both of them looked at her, "Oh, what? I can't date?"

"No, you're… you're old." Dean shook his head with confusion as Kerry looked at him with a glare.

"Mom, you date if you wanna date." Punk nodded, "We just have to approve first." He said as Kerry smiled.

"Shelly wants me to set up a dating profile." She said, referencing her best friend.

"That's embarrassing." Dean laughed, "What's your status gonna be? Single and ready to mingle?" He shook his head as Punk groaned.

"Please don't make it that." Punk said, genuinely concerned.

"I'm not setting it up." Kerry laughed, "Well… I might. It's hard for me you know, I don't have time to go out and meet anybody."

"No, you just say that. You have plenty of time." Punk said, "That was your excuse when we were little." He corrected her as Kerry just scoffed.

"I still have to babysit you both, look at the state of you." She said, looking at her sons who were both bruised and beaten.

"We're fine." Dean waved his hand.

"Hey, the cop running dad's case came by early I forgot to say." He said as Dean looked up, "Said they found records of someone buying a gun in one of the computers in the offices. Dad's offices." Punk said, "No name, no user, no CCTV so… pretty useless information but… I guess they know for sure that it was someone who worked there. Weird thing is no one has quit or fled so… whoever it is… probably still working there right now."

"Didn't they interview everyone there?" Kerry asked.

"Yeah and nothing suspicious came up." Punk said, "I don't see how anyone could benefit from dad dying?" He shook his head.

"Lots of people." Kerry corrected him, "Maybe someone didn't like the way he worked. I mean, now they're gonna have to bring someone new in. So it's a chance for things to be done differently. Work can be a bitter part of people's lives." She said.

"So dumb." Punk shook his head.

"Yeah, I'm working somewhere fun." Dean said, "Like… Dunkin Donuts." He nodded.

"Why would that be fun?" Kerry asked, "I worked in restaurants when I was your age and it is… the worst. And I know you two have little patience so… you wouldn't last a day." She said as Dean just shrugged, "What is it April wants to do again?" Kerry asked.

"She wants to be a writer." Punk said, "She's gonna go to college."

"Doesn't that mean she'll move away? Meet lots of hot college guys?" He teased.

"Dean." Kerry shook her head.

"I'll move with her." Punk shrugged.

"You can't move into a dorm with her. They won't allow that." Kerry laughed a little, "She'd just have to come back and forth. You could go visit. Well… when you aren't working." Kerry nodded.

"Who said she has to move away anyway?" Punk asked defensively.

"She might." Dean laughed a little, "Depending on what courses she likes I suppose." He said as Punk sat in silence. He hadn't even thought about the possibility of AJ moving away for college. He just assumed she would commute to the nearest one.

* * *

"You awake?" Punk whispered, lying in bed with AJ through the night, not being able to sleep, "Ape." Punk said, wondering if she was awake whilst waking her up.

"What?" AJ grumbled on his naked chest, "What's wrong?" She asked him, "You… you need your pills?" She asked him as Punk made a face of confusion, "It's ok, just go back to sleep." She nodded.

"April." Punk said as AJ opened her eyes a little more, realising she was in his arms, shaking her head and looking up at him tiredly. He looked down at her. He knew who she thought she was talking to, and it upset him to see her still so programmed into living only to take care of her mother.

"What?" AJ came to her senses, "What is it? It's… 3am." She looked at the clock on her night stand, "I have school in the morning." She grumbled.

"Are you gonna leave for college?" Punk asked her.

"What?" AJ shook her head.

"College. Are you gonna move away?" Punk asked her.

"Baby, I don't know." AJ said sleepily, "Stop talking." She hummed, resting back against his chest.

"I'd really miss you if you moved." Punk told her as she kept her eyes opened, listening to him. She didn't want to tell him that the courses she'd be applying for were ones where she had to move away. They were too far in the city to commute every day for sure.

"We'd make it work. I'd see you on weekends and you could come visit me." AJ said, kissing his chest, "It's not a big deal."

"Right." Punk nodded, "Of course." He said, tracing his fingers up and down her arm.

"I wouldn't be going to college for another year anyway." She said, "And you'd have a job by then. We'd be making waves." She said as he smiled and nodded.

"Big waves for you I'm sure." He said. He truly believed she would get all she wanted. She was smart and fiercely determined. He knew she had it in her to become what she wanted.

"Not without you." She whispered as he smiled, kissing her head, "Let me sleep now, some of us aren't suspended from school and have to get up." She said, leaning up and kissing him sweetly before turning around on her side, "Ok, but obviously spoon me." She tugged on his hand as he laughed a little, turning around behind her, wrapping his arms around her waist, nuzzling his face into her neck as she smiled. It was her favourite way to sleep. Sleeping alone was such a distant feeling she couldn't remember.

* * *

"You have money for lunch?" Kerry asked the next morning. Dean was out walking Patch whilst AJ was having breakfast. Punk was having a lie in of course.

"I have some left over from yesterday." AJ nodded, "And don't worry, I left Phil work to do for Spanish." AJ said as Kerry smiled.

"Good. Keep him on his toes." Kerry said, "I don't want him here doing nothing."

"I gave him… a lot to do." AJ smiled as Kerry nodded, looking over at AJ who was eating her cereal and finishing some last minute homework.

"Gosh I know this is awkward but I can't help it." Kerry said as AJ looked up, "If you two are both… you know, having sex." She said as AJ widened her eyes and looked down at her cereal, "Are you being safe? I-I never had that talk with the boys. I thought they would just know but… now I'm panicking a little." She admitted, "You're his first real girlfriend."

"I'm on the pill." AJ nodded, her cheeks going a shade of red.

"Oh." Kerry said, "Well good." She nodded, "You have plans for your future, just like I did and then it all… came to a stop." She said, "Because I wasn't careful." She said, "I wouldn't change those mistakes because I have two amazing son's out of it but… I was terrified back then, the same age as you." She nodded.

"We're careful." AJ assured her, "I have plans for the future." She nodded.

"Like I said… so did I." Kerry said.

"What'd you want to do?" AJ asked curiously.

"I wanted to be a pharmacist." Kerry said, "But… having a baby, and then having two just made going to college impossible. I'm sure some mom's did it but… It felt like just me on my own, even when Shawn was here. He was building his company and I was here with the boys." She nodded.

"Wouldn't you do it now? Go to college? It's not as uncommon as you think." AJ said.

"Oh, no. I wouldn't now." Kerry shook her head.

"But why not?" AJ said, "Now you have the time."

"I can't afford to be going to college and not having an income." Kerry said, "It's a nice thought, sure but… it's not very realistic anymore." She shrugged as AJ frowned, "Phil said you want to be a writer. What do you wanna write about?" She asked.

"Uh… mostly fiction. I'm open to anything really." AJ said, "He asked me if I was gonna move away last night." She said, "The courses I've been looking at are… a little far away. I probably would have to move." She said, "I didn't even think. I… I just thought he would come with me wherever I go." She laughed a little as she smiled.

"I'm sure you could both make it work. You could come back for the weekends. He could visit you on off days." Kerry said, "It would work I'm sure."

"Yeah. Yeah, we'd make it work." AJ smiled as Kerry nodded.

* * *

A few weeks went by and Punk returned to school after his three days suspension. Things were running a little more smoothly as Johnny had really gotten the hint this time. After three cracked ribs and a concussion, as well as the threat of being expelled, he really didn't come anywhere near AJ, Punk or Dean.

AJ and Punk continued to grow as a couple. They went on special dates, some which AJ knew she would remember forever. She kept the receipts and different tickets, pictures of them in a little box under her bed. They were building something special. A love that felt like it could never break or be broken by anyone.

Dean was getting along at school better and at home. Patch was growing and really found a best friend in Dean. Not only that, but Dean had been spending a lot of time with Renee. They hadn't clarified what it was. He wasn't sure if they were good friends, but he knew he liked her more than that.

Their father's case was almost at a standstill as the cops weren't getting anywhere with it. It was like they couldn't move forward. There was nothing to go on. Dean and Punk were waiting on them giving up but Drake continued to do all he could.

"Phil, dinner is almost ready your mom wants me to tell you." AJ peeped her head into Punk's room.

"Ok, I'm gonna shower quickly." He told her, "Do I got time?"

"As long as you're super quick." AJ nodded, "I'll be thinking about you naked." She clicked her fingers whilst walking away as Punk laughed and shook his head. He didn't think it was possible to love someone so much. Her sensitive side, her humour, her body, her laugh, her smile, her comfort.

He opened up his top drawer to get out a pair of boxers, pausing when he noticed the crumpled up letter from his dad still in it. He sat back down on the edge of his bed and took it out.

He didn't know why he found it so hard to open it. He felt like the longer he held onto it, the more his dad really wasn't gone. Reading it was like listening to his last words and that was pretty hard going. He knew Dean had a hard time reading it, and even his mom reading hers.

He supposed he couldn't wait forever of course and quickly opened up the letter like ripping a band-aid, looking on at the paragraphs written out for him, taking a deep breath and beginning to read.


	26. Conflicted

**Conflicted**

* * *

"Are you ready for your last day ever?" AJ smiled, holding Punk's hands in hers, turning herself around going under his arm in a dancing fashion as he smiled, pulling her close to him around the waist

"Not as excited as you look." Punk laughed a little.

"I'm just excited for Summer, that's all." AJ smiled.

It had come to the end of term where Punk was met with his final day at school, which to him was a relief. He knew he had to get a job, and he knew that would be hard, but he was ready to leave school. He was very much over school.

It had almost been a year that he and AJ had been dating. The year had gone by so fast for them. From AJ moving in with them, to everything that happened with Johnny, to the tragic loss of their father which they were still finding hard to move on from. It had been a busy year, but he didn't know what he would have done without AJ. She was the best thing that could have happened to him.

"You gonna miss seeing me at school?" He asked her as she nodded.

"Yeah. I am." AJ frowned, hugging him tightly, "But I'm just glad we have all Summer together." She smiled up at him as he nodded, "We can… lie in, do what we want, you can continue to wow me on dates." She smiled.

"I wow you?" Punk raised his brows, "Well that's good to know." He said as AJ smiled.

AJ had never felt happier. Moving in with them was possibly the best thing that could have happened for her. She'd been given her life back in many ways, and whilst she missed her mother every day, and loved her dearly, she felt like her life was starting now thanks to Kerry and the boys.

She was part of the Christmas mornings, they celebrated her birthday, Punk had showed her around the entire city taking pictures, making memories that she would treasure. She was so terrifyingly in love with him that life without him just didn't seem real at all.

"Ok, I want a picture of your last day." Kerry walked into the kitchen with her camera as Punk groaned.

"Mom." Punk said, "Really? Is that necessary?"

"Yes, it is. I do it every year and this is your last. You'll look back on this in ten year's time and smile, trust me." Kerry said, "Dean! Hurry up." She called on her other son.

"We're gonna be late." Punk said.

"No you won't. Don't give me excuses." Kerry said.

"Oh, no. Not a picture." Dean moaned as he walked into the kitchen.

"Yes, a picture. Go stand over there." She pointed where Punk and AJ were already standing.

Dean walked over, standing beside Punk who wrapped his arms around AJ and Dean, standing in the middle.

"Wait." Dean said, "Wait." He ran out of the kitchen as Kerry rolled her eyes, watching as he appeared carrying Patch like a baby. Patch had grown from his puppy like size to a more chunkier sized Pitbull, but Dean could still carry him around like he was a baby.

"He is the star of the show I guess." AJ nodded.

"He is." Dean agreed, standing back in place beside Punk whilst continuing to hold Patch like he was a baby.

"Ok, we good?" Punk asked, wrapping his arms around Dean and AJ again.

They spent a good five minutes trying to get Patch to look at the camera, until finally Kerry snapped a great picture, "Oh, that's one for the fridge." Kerry smiled.

* * *

"What are you doing?" Punk questioned, lying in AJ's bed later that night as she sat on her computer beside him. Sometimes it was simple things like taking naps together that he loved and cherished. She was his place that he could go to feel at ease about everything. Everything on his mind. He couldn't imagine not having that.

"I'm looking at college courses. Applying starts as soon as we go back." AJ said.

"You literally just broke off for Summer. Chill out." Punk laughed a little.

"I can't chill out if I really wanna get in." AJ said, "The course is super hard to get into. I need to submit a short story, an essay, a review and a report." She shook her head as Punk widened his eyes.

"Sounds like a lot." Punk sat up a little.

"Yeah." AJ agreed.

"You definitely wanna go to the one outside the city?" Punk asked her as she nodded, turning around to him, "It will be kinda hard to see one another." He admitted truthfully.

"I'll come home on the weekends-"

"You'll make new friends there, new… boyfriends." He said as she laughed.

"Phil." AJ hummed a little, "All I'm gonna be thinking about is… your face." She nodded, "We can call every night. We can video chat." She smirked.

"Oh, really?" He smirked back, "You gonna turn into a chat girl for me?"

"Hey, if it makes you happy." AJ nodded, "We'll make it work." AJ said as he smiled. He loved that she had no doubt about it. She was going to make it work, he could tell.

"Yeah, we will." Punk said, kissing her shoulder.

"You should start looking for jobs too." AJ told him, "Maybe after a year or two we could get our own place. We could live somewhere close to college but still close to here that we can come visit your mom and Dean." AJ said as Punk nodded.

"Our own place sounds nice." Punk nodded. They had talked about their future, how they saw one another in it, how they saw themselves getting a place together. It was nice to think about the future with excitement.

"We'd need to save up. I'd get a job too." AJ said, "Where are you even gonna apply for?" She asked him.

"I have no clue." Punk admitted, pushing the idea off, "I'm just interested in spending the entire Summer with you, no school, no Johnny walking around the halls glaring at me." He shook his head.

"He's terrified of you." AJ smiled, "It's fun to see. After you gave him that beating he's… never came near us again."

"Should have done it sooner." Punk shook his head as she smiled, "I'm glad you got Dean and Renee when you go back after Summer." He nodded.

"Oh, yeah me too." AJ nodded. Dean had been seeing Renee casually for a few months since she first came. AJ had also found a really good friend in her. She'd never had a girlfriend before and it was nice to have that in her life, "Do you wanna look at jobs that are going?" She asked him as he shook his head.

"Nah, I'll look soon." Punk said. AJ noticed he was pushing it off an awful lot and was worried that he wasn't ready for full-time work. He knew he could handle it, but it was like something was stopping him.

"Why wouldn't you apply for college, Phil? You're so damn smart. It bugs me. You don't put the effort in but you always get amazing grades." She shook her head. He always downplayed how smart he was and it annoyed her.

"I don't wanna do anything in college." Punk told her truthfully, "I'd rather just have a job right away." He said, "Get money right away." He said.

"You must have some idea about what kind of job you want." She said.

"I honestly don't." Punk laughed a little.

"I hate how unorganised you are." She sighed, turning her computer off and sitting it down as he just smiled.

"I'll figure something out." Punk said as she climbed over him, straddling his hips and sitting on his lap as he smiled, "Hi." He smirked.

"Hi." AJ whispered, kissing him softly as he kissed back, "Can't believe you're a grown adult now."

"Hey, I've just left. Give me a break." Punk laughed a little as she smiled, "You think we'll be alright?" He asked her, tucking her hair behind her ear as she looked at him.

"Of course we will." AJ said, sad to hear a little bit of doubt in his voice. But she wasn't too concerned. Their lives were changing, especially over the next coming year, "Let's just enjoy the Summer together." She said as he smiled and nodded, lifting her t-shirt up over her head.

"Ok." Punk nodded, pressing his lips against hers whilst unclasping her bra, cupping her breasts softly whilst she deepened the kiss and cupped his face.

She pulled back to take his t-shirt off, shifting off of him to the side and pulling down his sweats and boxers, wrapping her hand around his length and pressing an opened mouth kiss on him as he kissed back deeply, moaning into her mouth softly at her touch.

She then parted from his lips and wrapped her mouth around him as he moaned, sat against the headboard, placing his hand on her lower back as he watched her bob her head up and down on him.

Their moments of intimacy only got better and better as their love grew. It became more passionate if that was even possible. He was pretty sure they had done every single thing possible. AJ was keen and trusted him with everything and that made him feel good for sure.

"Fuck." Punk moaned, feeling her soft velvet mouth glide up and down his mouth, rolling her tongue against him whilst switching back to her hand.

She used her mouth on him for a little while before sitting up, pushing her shorts and panties down before leaning over to him.

"Take me from behind." She smiled, kissing him softly as he nodded, watching her turn around on her hands and knees as he smiled to himself. He knelt behind her, running his fingers down her slit as she moaned at the touch, feeling him rub her clit, "Mmm… fuck, baby." AJ moaned as he smiled, "Please give me it." She moaned desperately as he ran the tip of his length up and down her a few times before pushing deep inside of her.

They'd practised being quiet but sometimes it was extremely hard, for AJ mostly.

"Fuck." Punk moaned, never getting over the feeling of her and how amazing it was. He began to move in and out of her, holding her by the hips as she moaned and grabbed the sheets in front of her, stretching her arms out, muffling her moans against the bed whilst he pounded into her.

"Oh my God." AJ cried out, never getting used to the feeling it brought her. So much pleasure and intensity, especially in certain positions that they knew enhanced the level of pleasure, "Fuck, that feels so good." She moaned out as Punk smiled. Making her feel good sometimes overshadowed making himself feel good. He loved to get that reaction from her and make her whole body cave in.

He leaned over, kissing the middle of her back whilst thrusting into her. He didn't believe anyone would compare to her. Ever.

* * *

Later that night, Punk lay awake in bed, AJ fast asleep beside him. He'd been finding it hard to sleep lately. With so much on his mind, keeping so much to himself. It was hard.

He sat up, untangling AJ's arm from over his chest, making sure not to disturb her as he put on his boxers and left her room.

He walked across to his own room, opening up his drawer where the opened letter was from his father. More like a letter of instructions, a letter of evidence. He sighed, sitting down as he looked at it.

He'd reread it over the past couple of months since opening it. Not knowing what to do. Not knowing how to handle it. After the case had been pretty much dismissed after Drake couldn't find any ties or leads, it was like they had to accept their father's killer had gotten away with it. But with this letter, he couldn't let that rest.

He dug further into his drawer and picked up the business card that his father's closest friend and business partner had gave him the day of his funeral. He grabbed his phone and punched in the number, raising the phone to his ear.

"Hey… hey, it's Phil Brooks." Punk said once Ted answered, "Yeah, I'm ok. I was… just wondering if we could meet."


	27. Decision

**Decision**

* * *

"Where were you?" AJ asked, waking up in the morning, a few weeks into their Summer break, where Punk had been missing from early on. She felt and heard him leave the bed at an ungodly time.

"Uh… I was just restless." Punk said, taking his hoodie off over his head as AJ sat up in bed, "Went to stretch my legs. And I… brought you breakfast." He picked up the brown paper bag as AJ smiled.

"You're like a proper little husband." AJ said as he raised his eyebrows.

"Hey, don't put that title on me just yet." Punk laughed a little, "Got you your favourite." He said, handing her over the breakfast wrap she always got, as well as a Blueberry muffin. He knew breakfast was her favourite meal of the day so they'd certainly been around town for a lot breakfasts.

"You do love me, don't you?" AJ smiled, unwrapping the paper from the wrap, sitting up against the headboard whilst Punk climbed over her and sat down beside her with his own breakfast.

"Yeah, but I'd like to think you know that without me bringing breakfast to you." He laughed a little as she smiled.

"I know it." She nodded, "Why were you restless?" She wondered worriedly.

"I just couldn't sleep. I tried to but… I just wanted to get up." Punk told her.

"You were gone for a really long time." AJ noticed.

"I went a really long walk." He told her as she just nodded, "What do you wanna do today?" He asked her. They'd been busy doing lots of fun stuff so far during their Summer break. Beach days, date nights, attending different events in town. Just having alone time without the thought of school at the back of their minds.

"I kinda just wanna have a lazy day. We've been so busy lately." She admitted, a little tired, "Can we just… stay in bed all day?" She smiled to him.

"Sounds nice." He smiled to her, getting lost in her beauty but reminding himself of the conversation he'd had earlier in the morning. It was the first time that he was starting to worry about them. His mind was everywhere. His mind was always with her. But right now, he felt like he was being swayed someplace else. Someplace she couldn't exist. It would be unfair.

* * *

"That for me?" Dean walked into the kitchen later on where Punk pulled out a bowl of popcorn from the microwave that he'd just made.

"No." Punk scoffed, "Me and AJ." He said.

"Selfish." Dean scoffed, "Hey, where were you this morning? I heard you leave super early." Dean said whilst Punk opened the fridge to get he and AJ a drink.

"I went for a walk." Punk said bluntly.

"At 6am?" Dean laughed a little.

"Yes. At 6am." Punk said, "I couldn't sleep." He said.

"Well you could have taken Patch with you." Dean said.

"He was still sleeping and… he's not my dog." Punk said defensively as Dean looked at him.

"Is there something bothering you?" Dean wondered, "You're acting weird."

"I'm not acting weird." Punk said.

"You are, actually." Dean said, "I know my own brother. Are you stressed about finding a job?"

"No, I'm not." Punk said, "I'm not stressed about anything." He said, "I'll find somewhere." He said as Dean stuck his hand into the popcorn and grabbed some out, "Aren't you going out with Renee?"

"Yeah, we're going to the movies." Dean nodded as Punk grabbed the bowl from him.

"Well enjoy the popcorn there and take your hands out of mine." He warned as Punk just shook his head, watching him walk away and head upstairs.

He walked into AJ's room where she was lying in bed, already with a few snacks of her own, a film on TV paused waiting for him to come back.

"That popcorn smells good." AJ smiled, sitting up a little as Punk shut the door over and headed over to the bed, sitting down beside her, handing her the popcorn and the drinks so he could get comfortable.

"Dean ate half of it." Punk grumbled.

"I think we have a lot of stuff anyway." AJ laughed a little as Punk nodded. It was nice to just be in together, shut the whole world out for a while.

They watched a few movies until AJ began to get sleepy. They put on some TV shows so that they didn't have to pay too much attention, and AJ curled into Punk's torso, his arm wrapped around her to hold her close. They'd pretty much ate all the snacks they had too which made them more sleepier.

"This was nice." AJ smiled, "I just didn't feel like leaving bed today." She admitted as he nodded, "Some days you just want the world to stay away." She said as he nodded.

"Yeah, right." Punk said, knowing exactly what she meant. His mind was in a strange place. He was so very conflicted, confused, terrified almost of the decisions he had to make. The one decision he had to make more or less. He knew the reason behind making it was all good and well, but the reason behind not making it was simply AJ, "You know I'll always love you, right?" He said as she looked up at him, "No matter… whatever happens." He said as AJ looked up at him worriedly and sat up.

"Why are you saying that? What's gonna happen?" She asked, suddenly wide awake.

"No, nothing. Nothing." He pulled her back in gently to him, "I'm just saying how I feel. Things happen in life, right?" He said as she nodded, "I just couldn't imagine not being in love with you… whatever happens. That's all I am." He said as she smiled.

"I feel the same." She whispered, "I'm so glad I met you." She shook her head, "You're the first person to… actually want to get to know me for me. My mom wasn't in a right place of mind to get to know me. I've never had friends." She said, "You're my best friend first." She looked up at him as he smiled, "I'm gonna make sure that's in our wedding vows somewhere." She said as Punk smiled, his smile fading a little as he realised what all of this meant. What his decision meant. It meant… no future with AJ.

"You-You think about all of that?" Punk asked, even though he knew it would hurt to do so.

"Yeah, of course I do." AJ said, "I think about my mom, what she went through, how… lonely she was. She only had me." She sighed, "I don't wanna be like that. I want to have love in my life. I wanna have a good job and… get married, have your babies running around." She smiled up at him as he forced a smile, "It'd be nice.." She nodded.

"Yeah." Punk nodded slowly, running his fingers up and down her arm, "Yeah, it would." He gulped.

"I'm just focused on the now, though. I think if you think about the future too much you start doubting things, things start decaying. I couldn't imagine that happening with us but… we're here now together and… that's the best." She smiled up at him as he nodded.

Before he opened the letter, before he had met with Ted, before he had this all looming over him, he too wanted a future with AJ, he still did. He wanted to grow with her, become adults together, do the wedding stuff, have the kids, have a life that neither of them really thought they would find, but… he was being pulled someplace else. He wasn't sure if it was from guilt, from anger to avenge his father's death, but he knew that fulfilling the letter meant… leaving AJ. Leaving Chicago.

* * *

Later on that night, Punk left AJ's arms in bed. He gently placed her naked body a little further onto her side so he could get up, putting on his boxers and making his way through to his own bedroom.

He pulled out his phone and called Ted, his stomach turning as he did so. What scared him the most was that it was his decision to make. He knew AJ could hold that against him forever. The thought of her hating him, the thought of her crying over him, it was heartbreaking.

"Phil?" Ted answered.

"Hey." Punk said, "Hey, I've been thinking about things." Punk nodded.

"Yeah?" Ted nodded, "There's no pressure, son. You've got a life. I know that. Me and you got that same letter. No one else. He always told me how sharp you were. How you could manage this business in no time with a little bit of training." He said, "And with everything on that file on his desktop, he needed you here more than he wanted you here, let's put it that way." Ted said.

"Yeah. I know. I get it." Punk sighed to himself, sitting down on the edge of the bed, "I just… I'm a kid. I'm leaving my family behind. I'm doing exactly what my dad did. They're gonna hate me."

"They're gonna understand." Ted said, "Eventually." He said, "You can say no… but I can hear it in your voice. You want to help me with this. I know you don't wanna run the company. You just wanna find out who killed your dad. But you and I know that letter is a sign of belief that your dad had in you."

"I didn't think he believed in anything but himself." Punk admitted truthfully.

"Well you're wrong." Ted said.

"What if I told my mom and brother, and my girlfriend… they could come visit me, right?" Punk asked.

"It's not gonna work that way." Ted said, "You know that. Everyone in this company needs to believe you're just taking a job with us, you're building yourself up to a good status. No one can know any details." He said as Punk nodded.

"Yeah, I know." Punk said, running his hand through his hair, "When do I fly out?" He asked.

"Three weeks. Just before the schools return I believe." Ted said as Punk sighed and nodded, "I take that as… I'm booking them for you?" He wondered as Punk paused, sitting in quiet silence for a little bit, just thinking about everything.

"Yeah." Punk took a deep breath, "Yeah, book it." Punk nodded.

"I'll send them out." Ted nodded, "Pack light. You'll be taken care of here."

"I don't want any charity." Punk made clear, "I'll fend for myself."

"It's New York and you're a kid. Your dad would expect me to look after you. Plus, after you start making money you'll be able to buy your own place. And trust me, that won't be long." Ted said as Punk sighed to himself and nodded.

"Ok." Punk nodded.

"Get your head in the right place for this. That's my advice." He told him as Punk just nodded.

"Well thanks for the advice." Punk said sarcastically.

"I'll see you soon." Ted said, hanging up as Punk sat his phone down, running his hand through his hair, taking out his father's letter again and looking at it, sighing to himself.

In short, the letter was a proposal, an ask from his father. His father knew about the suspicious movement of money going on the company, and he knew his life was in danger as explained in the letter. Punk knew that if he got into the company, on a high level, he would be able to get closer to his father's killer, like his father had also stated in the letter. He had become almost obsessed with finding the man who killed his father. He knew he wasn't close with his father but he never realised how much he believed in him. He felt like he didn't have a choice. He felt like he needed to do this.

That meant leaving everything he knew in Chicago behind.

He put the letter back in his drawer and walked back across to AJ's room where she lay peacefully sleeping. He got back into bed with her, turning around and kissing her head softly.

"I love you so much."


	28. Years Later

**Years Later**

* * *

 _8 years later…_

"I said I wanted that done yesterday morning." Punk sat back in his office chair, "I don't care if your daughter was sick. I needed those numbers on my desk at 6am. You knew that. I had to give a briefing at 7am, unprepared." He said angrily, "Yeah, you're right it won't happen again, or else you'll be claiming unemployment." Punk said, hanging up and shaking his head, looking to his left through the glass windows of his office where employees were working hard… for him.

"Morning." Ted walked into his office as Punk sat up a little and nodded, "Good news or bad news first?"

"Give me the good news and don't tell me the bad." Punk shook his head.

"Good news is we remained 5% under budget this month." Ted nodded.

"Because we moved shipment like I told you all to do two years ago." Punk said, "And the bad?" Punk asked.

"We're shipping you, this time." Ted said as Punk looked up, "Back to Chicago." He said as Punk chuckled a little.

"Says who?" Punk asked.

"Says me who thinks you can run this company. Which means you have to be at the head office, which is not here… it's in Chicago." Ted said as Punk rolled his eyes.

"I'm fine working from here." Punk told him.

"I know you are. You're great here." Ted said, "I don't need to tell you twice but… for your career, for your dad… it's time to go to Chicago." He nodded.

"I haven't saw or spoke to my family in like… eight years." Punk said, "I-I can't go back there."

"I didn't ask you to do that. I told you they couldn't come out here with you. I didn't tell you to cut all of them off. Your own mother. That was cold." Ted raised his eyebrows.

"Well how was I supposed to do this job and see them?" Punk asked, "It's easier this way."

"Well now you gotta go back." Ted nodded, "It means you access all the files in the company, if you can get in with the board you can get your own seat there. Start bringing stuff up from back before your dad died." He said as Punk nodded, "Remember why you started this."

"Yeah, I know." Punk nodded, "When do I go back?" Punk asked with a sigh.

"In a week." Ted said, "You really haven't spoken to your family in all this time?" He asked.

"Just my brother." Punk said, "But I told him not to tell anyone." He said as Ted nodded.

"Well at least you get to see him a little more, right?" Ted said.

"Right." Punk nodded just as his phone began to ring on his desk.

"I'll leave you to work." Ted smiled as Punk nodded and picked the phone up.

"Yeah, this is he." Punk answered, "Oh yeah, thanks for calling me back." He said, going into conversation as Ted smiled. He was shaping up to be a great businessman after years of experience. He knew his way around things. He knew the tricks to know. And he was pretty much running the company in New York.

* * *

"Why do my pieces keep getting rejected?" AJ shook her head, sitting at the kitchen table with Kerry, eating some ice-cream, "Even when I got back and polish up. I mean… why has this agency signed me when they never, ever want any of my work?" She asked with frustration.

"Oh, honey. It'll happen. They just want the best out of you. That's all." Kerry smiled, "Long day today?" She asked her as AJ nodded.

"Left my place at 6 and this is me just home." AJ sighed, looking up at the clock which read 10pm.

"April, I hope you're taking care of yourself." Kerry sighed.

"I am." AJ assured her on a serious note, "I just wish they'd give me some more guidance, you know?"

"You're still a young woman. All this is just experience for you. I mean you're still getting paid for little exerts you're doing for things, right?" She asked.

"Yeah, of course." AJ nodded.

"Just have some patience. I bet you're the youngest there." Kerry said as AJ thought to herself.

"Yeah, I probably am actually." AJ nodded.

"You're doing great for how little time you've had. Stop beating yourself up every time." She warned, "I'm proud of you. Very proud." She smiled.

"Thanks." AJ smiled, "I should probably get home and… make sure Dean has had dinner." She shook her head as Kerry smiled.

"You two living together is… not something I thought would work." Kerry laughed to herself.

"We're not living together. He's using my couch because Renee kicked him out." AJ corrected her.

"They'll work it out. They always do." Kerry said.

"I don't blame her. He can't keep a job down and when he does he just spends it on booze." AJ shook her head.

"I know. I've had many of conversations with him, don't worry." Kerry said as AJ finished her ice-cream off, looking up as she noticed the particular picture stuck on the fridge. The picture Kerry took of them on Punk's last day of school.

"Why do you still have that up?" AJ asked as Kerry turned around and looked at it.

"Because I miss him." Kerry nodded, "And the picture makes me smile." She said as AJ stood up, placing her bowl in the sink and taking the picture off the fridge, "April." Kerry said in a concerned tone as AJ looked at it closely, looking at his face.

She then ripped the picture in two, and then ripped it again, grabbing two fridge magnets, sticking up the remaining picture of her, and then the other part of Dean and Patch.

"That's better." AJ said, tossing the remaining piece of Punk in the trash as Kerry sighed, "Much better." She nodded, "I should get home. Thank you for the ice-cream and the chat." She smiled.

* * *

AJ got home to her one bedroom apartment which she had in the city so it was close to the office she worked at. She worked at a writers agency doing whatever she could, trying so hard to always have some of her pieces viewed at. She'd been knocked back a lot but it didn't stop her from trying harder every time.

"Dean." AJ called, closing over her door, "You home?" She asked, taking her coat off and sitting her purse down. She secretly liked the company of Dean, who really was simply her brother. Even though he was messy and useless, she liked that she didn't feel as alone as she normally did with him around.

After hearing no reply she kicked off her shoes and headed for her bedroom, opening up the door and jumping when she saw Dean and Renee in it, "What the fuck!?" AJ yelled.

"I thought you were working late." Dean replied.

"Oh my God." Renee cringed.

"That's my bed." AJ shook her head, "You guys." She moaned as Dean chuckled, "Get out." She warned them, slamming the door shut.

"We made up!" Dean called to her as she walked away into her kitchen, shaking her head.

Not long after, Dean and Renee both emerged from the bedroom whilst AJ was cooking dinner, "Sorry, that wasn't planned." Dean said, sitting on the stool at the table whilst Renee had escaped.

"That doesn't make it ok. That's my bed, Dean." AJ shook her head, "I don't… fuck guys in your bed. That would be rude."

"You should be happy we made up so I'm out of your hair." Dean said as AJ just stayed silent, "You having a bad day?" He wondered.

"No. I'm fine." AJ said, "I wanna have my dinner and go to bed." She told him, "So… you can get your things and go."

"Ok." Dean put his hands up, "Thanks for letting me stay. Again." He said, walking over to her and kissing her cheek as she just shoved him, causing him to laugh, "Oh and I might have knocked some things over. Sorry if I've broken anything." He said before quickly leaving the kitchen and the apartment altogether as AJ just shook her head.

She left her dinner cooking down low and headed into her bedroom to first of all, strip the bed sheets and covers. She then put all the things back in place which Dean had knocked over. She then noticed the shoe box under her bed had been kicked further out, the lid hanging off of it a little.

She crouched down and opened it up, looking on at the pictures, tickets, receipts from when she thought she had life figured out. When she thought she'd met her forever. Before he left without a single explanation.

* * *

"How is this for you?" A woman in heels walked around the penthouse apartment as Punk stood looking out the window.

"Nice place." He nodded as she smiled.

"Lots of parties here?" She smiled.

"Lots of work." Punk corrected her in honesty.

"I see." She said, whilst Punk stood looking out the window at the city he'd been away from for eight whole years. It felt strange being back after all this time. It brought back painful memories. Harsh realities.

He'd spent eight years working, making money, getting better and better at the job he never thought he'd ever be working, but he had an agenda of course. The harder he worked, the more trust he got with things, the more access, access to finding out who killed his father all those years ago. He was set on finding the person.

He'd grown up a lot in eight years. He felt like he became an adult overnight. He was out in the world alone. His look had also changed from a blonde haired Punk to a tidied up businessman. His hair, now it's normal shade of dark brown, was always slicked back. He kept a little bit of beard. His piercings he had taken out yet his body he had covered in colourful tattoos.

"So what'd you say?" The estate agent asked, clasping her hands as Punk turned around from the window.

"Yeah, sweet. I'll take it." Punk nodded. He wouldn't ever tell anyone how much money he had already made for himself, but he could say he was pretty much already set.

"Great." The woman smiled, "I'll go get the paper work and the keys." She said, leaving the apartment as Punk watched her and nodded.

He turned back around, looking out to the beautiful city falling into night. Knowing he was closer to the family he left was hard to digest. He found it extremely hard to leave them. The decision was never easy at all, and he still loved them. His mother. Dean. AJ. In fact, he thought about AJ every single day. What she was doing. Who she was doing things with. If she was ok. When he knew back then that he wouldn't find anyone like her, or a love like theirs, he really meant it. Knowing that she probably didn't believe his feelings were genuine after he left, broke his heart. The only thing he'd ever been genuine about was his relationship with her.

"Ok. Here are the papers." The girl came back into the apartment, also holding a bottle of champagne, "It's… standard we give a bottle too." She sat on the kitchen counter as Punk walked over and laughed a little, looking on at her.

"Well… how about you stay and have a glass for me." He smiled charmingly as she looked up at him, tucking her hair behind her ear, "That is if… you're not too busy." Punk said, already opening up the champagne bottle.

"You were actually my last showing for the day." She smiled.

"Good timing." Punk nodded, "Why don't you go make yourself comfortable." He nodded over to the sitting area of the large penthouse as the girl smiled and nodded.

"Ok." She nodded, hard to resist, strolling on over to the couch whilst Punk poured her a fizzy glass, making his way over and sitting down beside her.

* * *

 _Eight Years Ago…_

" _Did Phil go out for breakfast?" AJ asked, coming downstairs one morning, just a week before school started back. She was feeling tired but good, especially after the night she and Punk had. They'd never been so intimate before. She was sure he kissed every inch of her entire body._

 _She walked into the kitchen, a skip in her step, when she saw Dean and Kerry standing quietly, "Hey, did Phil go out for breakfast?" AJ asked them again, in case they never heard her, "What's going on?" She asked, immediately sensing a strange vibe in the air. Both of them were looking at her funny, like she had something on her face._

" _What?" AJ laughed worriedly as Kerry stood up from the kitchen table, a visible written letter sitting in front of her. It was then AJ noticed she'd gone a funny white colour, and had also noticed Dean holding a letter of his own._

" _Here." Kerry took the remaining envelope with AJ's name on it, extending it to her as AJ tilted her head a little, "Open it." She nodded as AJ looked at them both. Dean looked like he was in a state of shock and sadness. Kerry looked lifeless. She was afraid to open the letter._

" _What is going on?" AJ shook her head._

" _Just open it, April." Dean sighed as AJ ripped open the envelope, taking out the letter and reading it extremely quickly as all that was on the letter was "I'm sorry" at the top, signed off by Punk._

 _She shook her head and looked across at Dean and Kerry's letters, which had screeds of writing, not understanding what was going on._

" _Why is he sorry?" AJ asked, turning her letter around to show them the very little to none explanation she had._

" _Here, read mine." Kerry sighed, realising she probably had the most detailed explanation from her son who had apparently left to New York overnight._

 _AJ took the letter from her, reading it in detail, shaking her head the further she got down to the end of the page, looking up at them both once she'd finished reading it, "What?" She shook her head, "He… he's not just left." AJ laughed a little, "Why would he do that?" AJ shook her head. Her heart wouldn't let her believe it. There was no way he would just up and leave this way. Not when she knew what they had was so special. Irreplaceable even. She wouldn't believe it._


	29. Return Home

**Return Home**

* * *

"Jesus Christ." Dean shook his head, walking into Punk's new place after he had called to let him know he was back in Chicago. They'd only saw each other a few times, and had talked on the phone, but Punk made it incredibly clear that he didn't want his mom or AJ to know that they were in touch. He thought it would make matters worse. So they kept their meet-ups private.

"Nice, right?" Punk asked him as Dean nodded.

"Hell yeah." Dean walked around. He didn't know the real reason why Punk had left all those years ago to work for their dad's company. Punk had told him that it was something he wanted to pursue to remember their dad, and he had bought it. However Dean found it hard to understand why Punk had left AJ the way he did, when they were very clearly in love with each other, "Feel good to be back?" Dean asked him.

"A little." Punk said, "I got this anxiety about it all, though." He shook his head, "Last time I was here I probably… left a sour taste in everyone's mouth." He said as Dean nodded.

"Well at least you know that." Dean said, "Working with the big fish now, huh?" Dean asked as Punk nodded. He found it hard to wrap his head around his brother's career move. He knew his brother so well and it just didn't seem like a job he ever wanted to have. Seeing him in a business suit, living in such lavish conditions, it wasn't the brother he grew up with.

"Yeah, you could say that." Punk nodded.

"Been a while since I've seen you in sweats." Dean nodded as Punk stood in sweats and a t-shirt. It was the Punk he remembered.

"I had a day off." Punk said, "To get this place sorted." He nodded, "Can't remember the last time I was in sweats either actually." He admitted to himself.

"So you gotta see mom now, right?" Dean asked.

"I doubt she'll want to see me." Punk said, "It's probably best that… we don't see each other."

"Phil, what the fuck man? I get why you can't see AJ again, but this is our mom… what'd she ever do to you but love you and protect you? When dad didn't." Dean said, "Wake the fuck up and go see her. She doesn't hate you. She misses you."

"I don't expect her to welcome me back with open arms." Punk said, "After the way I took off." He said, "She'll be mad with me and I… I don't wanna see her mad." He sighed.

"So when are you gonna see her then? At her funeral?" Dean asked him as Punk got slight shivers up his spine, "When it's too late? Like dad?" He asked, "Your excuse was always you living in New York… now you got no excuse. Now you're here. I'm fed up of having to lie to everyone when I come to see you." Dean said as Punk sighed.

"Yeah and I'm sorry I put you in that position." Punk said.

"You should be." Dean shook his head.

"How are things with you and Renee?" Punk asked him as Dean walked over to the couch and sat down.

"We were a little rocky there. I was staying with AJ for a while." He said as Punk nodded. Every time he heard her name his stomach tightened into knots, still to this very day, "But we figured things out and I'm back at our place again." He nodded.

"Well good." Punk said as Dean nodded, feeling like he was sitting on something, tilting to the side and reaching underneath him as he pulled out a pair of panties at the back of the couch.

"Nice." Dean nodded, throwing them at Punk, "Still sleeping around then?" He asked him as Punk tossed the underwear over to the other couch.

"I don't sleep around." Punk defended, "I've gotten better."

"I know you just do it because you're still obsessed with AJ." Dean shrugged.

"I'm not obsessed." Punk shook his head, "Haven't seen the girl in eight years." He sighed.

"There's no one in the world she hates more than you." Dean said, "Just… to let you know that." He smiled as Punk nodded.

"She has every right to hate me." Punk said. He was always tempted to ask Dean about AJ, what she was up to, but he felt like it was just torturing himself, so he kept the conversation about her to a minimal, "You really think I should see mom?" Punk asked.

"Yeah. I do." Dean said, "She doesn't hate you. Sure she's disappointed that you left like that. So young and so sudden. We all were." Dean said, "But I mean, you've done well for yourself, she'll be proud of you." He nodded, "And she knows it was you who paid off the mortgage."

"I didn't do that to win her over. I wanted to do it because she deserves it. It's something dad should have done for her with all the money he had." Punk shook his head. He had done things in secret for his mother, and for AJ, to help provide from a distance in whatever way he could. He couldn't have not done it.

"Yeah, well… maybe you're not like him after all." Dean said.

"You think I'm like him?" Punk asked.

"Yeah." Dean laughed, as though it was obvious, "You left your family to go have this life." He said, "Pretty similar to dad." He nodded.

"He left his wife and kids. I left… my mom and brother, and… girlfriend. It's a little less serious, don't you think?"

"I'd say you and AJ were pretty serious." Dean said. In terms of AJ and Punk's relationship, he was team AJ at all times, and Punk knew that, "She loved you, man-"

"Yeah and I loved her." Punk snapped, "But… I had to go do this. And she… she went off to college anyway. It never would have worked." He said.

"She went to local college." Dean said.

"What? Why? She wanted to go outside the city." Punk remembered.

"She… changed her mind." Dean said briefly as Punk sighed.

"Seeing mom means that I might end up running into AJ." Punk said, "I don't think I can do that." He admitted. He had the fear of facing AJ. He knew himself what he'd done was wrong and so having to confront it terrified him, "I'm here for work. I'm focused on work." He said to himself.

"Look, do what you want. You will anyway." Dean said, "All I'm saying is… the woman who sacrificed everything for us really misses you." He said as Punk looked across at him, "And I'd like to not have to lie to her or AJ for that matter, about coming to see you. Feels like we're having a damn affair." He grumbled as Punk chuckled a little.

* * *

"Hey, guess who brought new bed sheets?" Renee sang as she walked into AJ's apartment where she was lying on the couch, "AJ." She said as AJ sat up and turned around, "Hey. Sorry, were you sleeping? You should really lock your door if you are-"

"I wasn't." AJ said, "You didn't have to buy new bed sheets I have other ones." She shook her head.

"I know but I just wanted to say sorry." Renee shrugged, sitting the newly bought sheets and covers over on the other couch, "Hey, are you ok? You not working today?" Renee asked.

"No, it's my day off." AJ said, "I'm fine." She nodded.

She was thankful to Dean and Renee for keeping her going, as well as Kerry. She was truly heartbroken after everything happened with Punk. The way he left with absolutely no sign was the most shocking thing to her.

"You look sad." Renee sighed as AJ shook her head.

"I'm not sad." AJ smiled to convince her, "I just feel like I'm not moving forward with… anything in my life." She rolled her eyes.

"April, you're so hard on yourself. You've achieved a lot. So much. More than me and Dean combined." Renee said, "You're working at an agency. You have your own place. You have the opportunity to grow and… get what you want out of your job. It'll just take a little bit of time." Renee nodded.

"I know that." AJ sighed.

"You know you're allowed to miss him." Renee nodded.

"Am I? After all of this time?" AJ laughed a little, "It seems pathetic." She shook her head.

"It's not. You loved him." Renee said.

"I hate him." AJ shook her head, a lump in her throat, mostly because she knew she didn't hate him. She wished she did.

"You're allowed to hate him too." Renee nodded, standing up and walking over to her, sitting down beside her.

"He's probably… rich and… successful. What if… what if he has a wife?" AJ shook her head, "And kids? And I'm sat here still thinking about him like a loser." She cried, wiping her tears.

"You're not a loser." Renee sighed, hugging her, "It's gonna get better. I know you don't think that but it will. Someone is gonna come along who… who loves you just as much as Phil did. Maybe even more." She smiled as AJ laughed. She knew no one would love her more than he did… but then she thought how perhaps he didn't love her as much as she believed, "C'mon. You're successful and you're sexy and strong." She nudged her as AJ smiled.

"You think I'm sexy?" AJ laughed a little.

"So sexy." Renee nodded as AJ smiled, "Sexier if you have any wine in here." She admitted as AJ smiled.

"Go check the fridge. Dean might have left some." AJ said as Renee nodded, getting up from the couch and heading into the kitchen, pouring herself the rest of the half empty wine.

"What's on TV?" Renee asked, sitting back down beside AJ, "Saturday night TV is usually good."

* * *

Later that night, Kerry was sitting on her own couch watching the mind numbing TV shows that Saturday night had for her. It was bizarre for the house to be so quiet. Living a life where her children weren't around as much was something she wasn't adapting well to.

She worried and wondered about her eldest son every day. She was upset with him the way he had left and how he hadn't contacted them in eight years, but she also knew he had done certain things for her to make life easier for her. One day she left the house and saw someone painting the fence. She remembered she always nagged the boys to paint it when they got the chance and it never got done. All the painter had to say was it was a gift.

But no gifts, no gestures could replace her son. She missed him every day.

She was almost falling asleep on the couch watching the TV when she heard a knock at the door. She got up and walked out of the living room, switching the outside light on and opening up the front door after unlocking it.

She stood for a few seconds, not knowing what to say or do, feeling like she was about to fall over as she saw her eldest son standing.

"Hi, mom." Punk sighed as he saw her face, barely aged at all, still the same kind woman he always knew and loved.

"Oh my God." Kerry placed her hand on her chest, feeling like she couldn't breathe, "Phil." She cried, wrapping her arms around him as he hugged her back tightly. He underestimated how good it would feel to have a hug from her again. Her hugs always made everything feel ok.

"Hey." Punk sighed, looking on at the house around her, looking down at the kitchen, up the stairs, haunted by the times he spent here, times with AJ, times he wished he could go back to desperately.

"Phil, I…" Kerry looked up at him. Her eldest son was no longer a teenager who still needed her. He was a grown man.

"Can I come in?" Punk smiled as she nodded, drying her tears. Any mother would have slammed the door on his face for the way he had left, the way he hadn't stayed in contact, but he knew his mother would never turn him away. It felt so good to see her again.

"Come in." Kerry nodded desperately as Punk walked on through to the living room, looking around and sighing to himself. Somehow it still felt like home, "Phil, I… I can't believe you're here again… what-what are you doing here?" She said, placing her hand on her beating chest as she looked across at him.

"I'm… I'm working in Chicago now." Punk nodded, "At the main office." He said as Kerry raised her eyebrows.

"So you're… you're home?" Kerry shook her head.

"Yeah." Punk smiled, "Yeah, I'm living in the city." He said as Kerry smiled, "I thought you would hate me." He sighed to himself, "Mom, you should hate me."

"I would never, ever hate you. Especially not for… going out and doing something you wanted to do." Kerry said, "I hate the way you left, I hate what you did to April and your brother…but… I don't hate you."

"You should." Punk said as Kerry shook her head.

"No." Kerry said, "I… I just can't believe you're here. Are you ok? Have you been ok?" She cupped his cheeks as he smiled and nodded.

"Ma, I've been fine." He smiled.

"Sit down, I'll… I'll make coffee." Kerry nodded as Punk nodded and smiled, sitting down on the couch as Kerry disappeared into the kitchen. He didn't think she would be as happy to see him. He thought she would flip out on him for being so distant but… he knew what type of person his mom was. As long as he was happy, she would have been happy.

He sat looking around the living room, playing with his tattooed hands when he heard the most…unexpected noise. A baby crying.

He stood up, listening as his mom rushed upstairs. It was then he looked around the living room and noticed a few framed pictures of a baby. His palms began to get sweaty and itchy, listening as his mother seemed to be bringing the crying baby downstairs.

He watched as she walked into the living room, holding the one year old baby girl in her arms as he tilted his head.

"Who-Who the hell is this?" Punk asked over the cries as Kerry looked at him.

"This is Alba." Kerry said with a nervous smile, realising she couldn't talk herself out of this one.

"I didn't really mean it like that… why is there a baby in your house?" Punk asked, deliberately not looking at the baby because at the corner of his eye, he could see that soft tanned skin, big brown eyes, dark wispy hair, and he knew.

"She's… April's daughter."


	30. Mad

**Mad**

* * *

"What?" Punk shook his head as Kerry looked at her son go a ghostly colour, "W-What age is she?" Punk asked, looking at the baby girl who had stopped crying.

"She's… one. 18 months." Kerry said, rubbing the baby's back softly to calm her down whilst Punk looked on at her, "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have just… brought her down like this." She said, feeling terrible for practically shoving this in Punk's face.

"W-What's her name?" Punk asked, trying hard to listen.

"Alba." Kerry nodded as Punk shook his head, looking on at the baby girl who had stopped crying and was resting her head on Kerry's shoulder, "I'll put her back down and… and we can chat." Kerry said as Punk just nodded slowly, watching his mother disappear out of the living room, heading back upstairs.

Punk placed his hand over his forehead and sat back down, his mind running away with him. It was the last thing he expected and most definitely was going to kill Dean for forgetting to mention the little detail about AJ having a baby, especially just recently.

He wondered if she was with somebody. If she was happy with someone else, and suddenly he didn't want to be in Chicago anymore. It was easier when he knew nothing. When all he had was wonder.

"She's normally down for the full night." Kerry walked back into the living room, "She must have heard the door." She said as Punk looked up at her.

"So… April is… she's with someone?" Punk nodded as Kerry sat down across from him.

"No." Kerry shook her head, "Father wanted nothing to do with it." She said as Punk raised his eyebrows, "I'm sure you'll be glad to know."

"Hey, don't." Punk warned, "No, I would never wish that on her. I want her to be happy." Punk made clear, even though a part of him was relieved there wasn't some other man who had stolen her heart way more than he ever did. It was a scary thought.

He sat quietly, not knowing what to say. He had a lot of questions but he wasn't sure if it was right to ask his mom. He just couldn't believe that she'd had a baby. An extremely cute baby girl who was the image of her.

"She lives with me." Kerry said as Punk looked up, "She doesn't live with April." She shook her head.

"What?" Punk shook his head, "Why not?" He questioned as Kerry looked across at him.

"Phil, you've been gone for a long time. Maybe not to you but… a lot has happened." Kerry said, "A lot."

"Then tell me." Punk said, "Tell me what's happened?" Punk worried.

"I don't think that's up to me. I think it's… it's up to April if she wants you to know." Kerry nodded as Punk shook his head.

"April isn't gonna wanna talk to me. I know that much." Punk said, "Why is her kid living with you?" He asked.

"Because April wasn't fit to look after her." Kerry said as Punk looked across at her, "She wasn't fit to be a mom and we came to an arrangement. Alba lives with me, I take care of her, AJ… visits her every night. Most nights." Kerry nodded.

"What do you mean she wasn't fit?" Punk looked at her with concern as Kerry sighed.

"When April went off to college she went through a… a hard time." Kerry said, "She tried to take her own life." She said as Punk felt his heart skip a few beats.

"W-What?" Punk shook his head.

"I know." Kerry sighed, knowing that this would hurt him, especially after all this time, "She spent some time in hospital, worked with doctors and specialists." Kerry nodded, "She was diagnosed with bipolar." Kerry nodded as Punk placed his hands over his face, 'She's still the same April." She nodded.

"No one thought to tell me?" Punk asked bitterly, "No one thought to tell me that she tried to commit suicide?" Punk asked.

"Honey, with all do respect, you were the one who left." Kerry said, "As far as I could see, you didn't care anymore."

"I never, ever stopped caring." Punk made clear.

"Well it was hard to see that." Kerry said as Punk shook his head.

"Is she ok now?" Punk shook his head as Kerry nodded.

"Yeah, she's been steady for a long time. In fact, she was great until she was pregnant. She started to struggle when she took time off. When the baby got here she just… she wasn't in the right frame of mind. I offered to help and… she accepted the help." Kerry nodded, "She is an amazing mom. She's here every night until late. And she loves her daughter. She's just really scared." Kerry said as Punk sighed.

"I should never have come back." Punk shook his head, rubbing his sweaty palms on his jeans, standing up.

"Wait, Phil-"

"No, I gotta go." Punk shook his head, not knowing how much he could hear. How much he had missed. How much he had let down the people he really loved when he wasn't there for them. He couldn't do it.

"Phil." Kerry chased after him but he had left the house immediately, out of sight.

* * *

"You never thought to tell me about any of this?!" Punk pushed Dean hard after going straight to Dean and Renee's apartment, "You never thought to tell me April was in hospital, that she tried to kill herself?" Punk asked angrily.

"Who told you?" Dean questioned, stubbing out his cigarette

"I went to visit mom. Oh and I met April's daughter too. It was nice of you to tell me about that as well." Punk nodded.

"Hey, you left, man. You left her. I took that as you wanting nothing to do with her. We all did. You don't get to be mad about any of this. You left." Dean reminded him.

"You still could have told me about it, Dean." Punk said with frustration, "You know I still love her. I always have. If… If I heard she was ill I would have come back." Punk said.

"Oh, really? You would have?" Dean questioned, "I don't think you would. And neither did she. So we didn't contact you." He said, "You've turned into this cold, lonely, work horse… you gave up a life here, with AJ… so no, I didn't think about contacting you and anyway… if anyone wanted you to know, it would have been AJ, it's her decision." Dean said as Punk ran his hands through his hair.

"Was it me? Did I do this to her?" Punk asked him.

"Oh, get over yourself." Dean said, "She's mentally ill because it's in her genes. Not because you broke her heart. Although, I doubt that helped. The one person she trusted just… up and leaving her one day, with nothing but I'm sorry left on a note for her." Dean shook his head.

"I could have been there for her-"

"Could have. Should have." Dean agreed, "But you were busy." He shrugged.

"No one told me." Punk said.

"She didn't want anyone to tell you. She got your message loud and clear when you left. She hates you actually. Like I've never saw anyone hate another human being." Dean said as Punk ran his hand over his slicked hair, "And I don't blame her, Phil."

"Do you hate me? Have you just been acting all this time?" Punk asked.

"I hate what you did. The way you did it. I don't hate you. You're my brother. I hate what you did. To AJ especially. You knew how much she loved you. You knew what she'd been through. Losing people. Losing her mom. You leaving her like that was the worst thing you ever could have done to her." Dean said as Punk nodded.

"I know I messed up but… I had to go and do this. I had to do this for dad." Punk said.

"Because you guys were so close?" Dean asked sarcastically, "Or did you just want to escape like he did?"

"No." Punk said, "No, of course not. Is that what you think?"

"Well it's hard to wrap my head around it, Phil. You and dad weren't close so… this bullshit story about feeling closer to him through the work and… fulfilling what he started… it's bullshit to me and everyone else who knows you." Dean said.

"What does AJ think?" Punk asked.

"AJ hates you." Dean said bluntly, "I'm not kidding." He shook his head.

"I know you're not. She's allowed to hate me." Punk nodded as Dean shook his head, "How does she have a kid?" Punk shook his head. Everything was such a hard pill to swallow. He didn't know why he ever thought he would come back and things would be the same as how he left. Yet he didn't think this much would have happened.

"Someone else fucked her and got her pregnant. That's how." Dean shook his head, "How else do you think?" He asked as Punk rubbed the back of his neck.

"Do I know the dad?" Punk asked, "Do you? Is… Is he around at all?"

"He wants nothing to do with her or the baby. You don't know him. I don't. AJ barely does." Dean said, "Alba lives with mom."

"Yeah, she… told me." Punk sighed, "I… I just can't believe it."

"Maybe instead of talking to everyone else about it, about AJ… just go talk to her. Get your answers from her. Because I think she deserves answers from you at this point." Dean said, "Or you can just go back to work, the way dad would have done, and ignore everything else around him." He nodded.

"Why are you being like this with me?" Punk asked, "I know I messed up. I know I should have been here but… it's not like we were married. I didn't walk out of anything-"

"You just left through the night and left us notes." Dean said, "That's shit, man. So shit." He shook his head.

"Why are you saying this to me now?" Punk asked.

"Because you're here all guns blazing now that you've found out about AJ, and you're mad but… you don't get to be mad. She gets to be mad. She's been through a lot. You're not the guy who helps her through it anymore." Dean reminded him as Punk shook his head.

"You know what… fuck this." Punk shook his head, "I don't need this shit. I'm not gonna be made to feel guilty over something I had no control over. I went and took a job, I'm allowed to do that. I'm allowed to go make a living for myself."

"Yeah but you don't need to be a dick about it and cut off everyone." Dean said, "I was seventeen years old. I still needed my big brother." Dean shook his head as Punk looked across at him.

"Well I'm sorry." Punk said loudly, "Alright, I'm sorry." He said, "Maybe I'll just go back to New York and live." He shook his head.

"You're gonna do what you wanna do. I've realised that by now. So… go ahead." Dean shrugged just as the apartment door opened. Punk turned around and saw Renee standing.

"Oh my God." Renee shook her head, "Phil?"

"Hey, Renee." Punk nodded, a little out of breath from all the yelling. All the shock was catching up to him, the reality of everything, "I… I gotta go." He shook his head, brushing by her and leaving the apartment as Renee looked over to Dean who was shaking his head.

"What the hell is he doing back?" Renee shook her head.

"He's came home." Dean smiled sarcastically.


	31. Not The Same

**Not The Same**

* * *

"How are things going? Settling in ok?" Ted asked Punk who was in his new office in the Chicago offices.

"Oh, yeah. Everything is going great." Punk nodded sarcastically.

"I'm gonna ignore the sarcasm." Ted said, "How you liking the offices-"

"I've lost." Punk interrupted him as Ted looked over, "I… I worked this job, I came here to do this so I could find my dad's killer. That's why I came. Now I'm… I'm not even looking." Punk said, "I'm doing it because it's became all I know." He said, disappointed in himself.

"Well there's nothing wrong with that." Ted assured him, "But… you have been looking for your dad's killer. You can get tore into here, now you're in Chicago again. I mean this is where it all happened. If you get into the files back then, you can… try and piece it together, look out for certain people around."

"It's been eight years. You really think my dad's killer is still here?" Punk asked.

"Why the negative attitude all of a sudden? It's not like you." Ted said as Punk shook his head.

"I'm not being negative I'm just… being realistic." Punk said as Ted looked across at him.

"You know why your dad was so good at this job? He never got distracted." Ted said, "Right now you seem distracted." He said as Punk just shook his head.

"I don't want to end up like my dad." Punk said, "Just interested in work all the time."

"That's not a bad thing, Phil. You're good at this. You might even be better than your dad. You… You've got us deals that I thought weren't possible. You're smart and you're still young. And look how much money you've made already-"

"It's not about the money." Punk said, "I done this to get close to my dad's killer. Just like my dad said in his letter. If I got in here, it meant I had the keys to the castle. I could keep my eye out, I could investigate people without them knowing." He said, "So that's what I'm gonna start doing." He said.

"What's got you mad?" Ted wondered, "Did you go see your mom? Your ex?" He asked as Punk just shook his head to avoid talking about.

"No, I'm fine." Punk said, "The new office is great." He said, changing the subject and looking around is new office which was huge and looked out onto the city, "I just never thought I'd be here." He admitted truthfully.

"Well you are and you've worked hard to be here." Ted said, "I've saw it with my own eyes." He nodded, "Get your game head back on, ok?" He nodded, "I'll be back in a few weeks to check in on things? Get working your way into it all." He said as Punk nodded.

* * *

"Hi, baba." AJ smiled, sitting on the floor in Kerry's living room, lifting Alba up as the baby girl smiled for her mom, "Why are you getting so big on me?" She said in a funny voice, "Huh?" AJ said, cuddling her in and kissing her head, "You're getting so big." She sighed as Kerry came into the living room with a coffee for both of them, "Has she got another tooth?" AJ asked Kerry, sitting Alba back down on her little play mat as she sat reaching for her toys as AJ smiled watching her.

"Yeah, she's been teething with it." Kerry said, handing her over the coffee.

"Poor baby." AJ frowned, watching as Alba crawled around and went on an adventure around the living room, gathering her toys with her as AJ smiled, "She seems ok just now."

"I've gave her some medicine for it." Kerry nodded, "How was work?" She asked as AJ nodded.

"Yeah, it was ok." AJ nodded, "I'm trying to work on a new piece whilst also doing the work I've been given." She said, "So it's difficult." She said.

"You make sure you're not overloading yourself with too much." Kerry said, "I worry about you."

"Hey, I'm fine." AJ nodded honestly. She knew when she was fine and she knew when she wasn't. That was the beauty of her progress. With therapy, treatment, a balance of knowing what worked best for her, she was able to manage her illness. It had been a long time coming of course.

"He was here." Kerry said. She couldn't not say.

"Who was?" AJ asked, not really paying attention as she kept her eyes on Alba, "Hey, baby you want your giraffe?" AJ smiled as Alba crawled over to her, taking the stuffed giraffe from her and putting it in her mouth, "Hey does that taste good?" AJ said in a funny voice, tickling under Alba's chin.

"Phil." Kerry said, "Phil was here, April." She said as AJ turned around.

"W-What?" AJ shook her head as Kerry nodded.

"He's back in Chicago. Working." Kerry said, "He came here to see me and he… he saw Alba."

"What?" AJ narrowed her eyes, "Why? Why did you let her see him?" AJ questioned defensively.

"It was in passing. She woke up and I brought her down. He… He wasn't here for long." Kerry said, "I had to tell him about you."

"What about me?" AJ shook her head. She couldn't believe that Punk had been here, that he was back in Chicago. She didn't know how to feel about that.

"Well he asked about Alba and why she was living with me, I had to tell him about what happened with you at college-"

"Why would you do that?" AJ asked, horrified, "You had no right."

"He was asking me and he thinks you hate him so he didn't want go to you." Kerry said.

"I do hate him." AJ said, "But you had no right to tell him all of that."

"I didn't go into detail. He didn't stay long. He looked heartbroken when I told him." Kerry said.

"Oh, poor him." AJ rolled her eyes, "He has no right to feel anything about this. He left. He chose to leave." She said, looking over at Alba, "What did he say about her?" She asked.

"Nothing really." Kerry said, "He looked really shocked and surprised. I don't think he expected it." She said as AJ shook her head.

"Why did he come see you after all this time? Why is he even here?" AJ shook her head.

"He's working in the city. In the offices in Chicago. I guess he might… be around more." Kerry said, "I'm hoping he is." She nodded as AJ shook her head. She couldn't handle it if she had to visit her daughter whilst Punk was around. She didn't think she'd be able to handle that at all.

"How can you forgive him?" AJ shook her head, "He cut us off."

"He's my son." Kerry said, "He left to go pursue something he wanted to do. And yes, he went about it in the completely wrong way, but he was a kid then, and he looks sorry about it, genuinely sorry-"

"Sorry doesn't cut it." AJ said, "You're just being like this because he paid off the house and he sent you money. He's exactly like his father-"

"No he is not." Kerry said angrily as AJ turned to her, "You did not know Shawn so you keep that opinion to yourself. Phil is good and kind. Shawn wasn't any of those things."

"They're both selfish." AJ said, "I know that much." She said.

"Why don't you arrange to talk to him. Maybe you'll get some answers. Get things off your chest-"

"If I see his face I'm scared I'm gonna slap it." AJ said, "So no… I don't wanna see him." AJ shook her head, looking over at Alba who had put all her stuffed animals in her little trolley which she used to walk around with. She wasn't walking on her own but she used the little push trolley to help steady herself. AJ was fascinated whenever she did it, but this time she just watched whilst her mind was elsewhere. Whilst her mind was thinking about Punk.

"He told me he never stopped caring about you." Kerry said, "And I know he was telling the truth. He looked really hurt when I told him about what happened to you. He asked why no one contacted him." She said as AJ shook her head.

"No one contacted him because he made himself extremely clear on where he stood with us." AJ said as Kerry nodded, "Did he say anything to Alba? I bet he asked about her dad." She nodded.

"He did." Kerry said, "He didn't say anything to her. He asked about the dad. I just said he wasn't in the picture. He said he just wanted you to be happy." She said as AJ shook her head.

"Of course he'd say that." AJ shook he head, "He's full of shit." She said.

"I think it'd be better if you went and saw him. I think it would clear a lot of the air and let go of a lot of the hatred you've got for him." Kerry said.

"No it wouldn't. It'd probably make things worse." AJ shook her head as Kerry sighed.

AJ watched as Alba made her way over to her, sticking her hands out as the baby girl reached onto them, "Hi." AJ smiled to her as the baby girl smiled, "Oh, big smiles. I love that." AJ said, "How about we get you some dinner, huh?" AJ said, "Yeah, what's for dinner tonight? Let's go see." AJ said, getting to her feet, picking Alba up with her as the one year old played with her mother's hair, biting on her shoulder as she carried her out to the kitchen whilst Kerry sighed to herself.

* * *

"I'm gonna need those emailed to me by Friday." Punk said, sitting on the phone in his office. Most of the workers had gone home whilst he was still making phone calls, on his computer, looking at numbers until his brain went dead, "I don't care. Friday at the latest." He said, leaning back on his chair once he put the phone down, turning around when he saw his office door open.

He was surprised regardless it was heading on nearly midnight and barely anyone was in the building, but he was even more surprised when saw who it was.

She looked exactly the same, just more womanly if that was possible. Her long dark hair went down her back as soft as he remembered it, her soft tanned skin that he thought about touching every day still as distinct as ever. The one thing he didn't remember, was the scowl that appeared on her face, as well as the tight black dress she was wearing underneath a grey coat.

"April." Punk shook his head, standing up.

"Nice office." AJ nodded, looking around, kicking the trash can over on her way as the garbage spilled out everywhere, "Oops." She shrugged, walking by it.

She was trying so hard not to let her head get to her. He'd certainly changed. He wasn't that dirty Punk kid that she remembered and loved so much. She wasn't vein enough to deny that he still looked as handsome as ever, maybe even more in a shirt which had the two top buttons undone with the sleeves rolled up.

"W-What… what are you doing here?" Punk shook his head. After eight years, he never thought this moment would finally come. Seeing her again brought all those feelings back, those memories of what they had, yet everything had changed. They could never be the same again.

"Your mom told me you were back in Chicago." AJ said, "She thought it'd be good if we talked. If I got some things off of my chest but that's not why I'm here." She shook her head, "I think I'm beyond getting stuff off my chest." She said, "I just want you to stay the hell away from me, to be honestly." She lightly chuckled.

"April." Punk sighed.

"No, it's ok." AJ said, "Maybe I was the fool. Maybe I was… too clingy, maybe I expected just a little too much from you." She nodded, "But maybe I also deserved a whole lot better-"

"You did." Punk said almost immediately, "I'm sorry for how I left, I am-"

"I don't wanna hear your apologies. I couldn't care less." She said, "I just want you to stay away. Me and you… we have no business anymore. I get you wanna see your mom and your brother, that's fine… but make sure when you do that I'm not there." She nodded.

"You're mad at me, I know. I understand." Punk said, "I'm mad at me too, trust me."

"No, I was mad back then. I was mad when you gave everyone an explanation in the adorable little letters you left, but yet all you wrote on mine was I'm sorry?" She said, screwing her face up, "What were you apologising for? For leaving without saying goodbye? For just being a bastard?" She asked as Punk nodded and looked across at her.

"Go on. Get it all out." Punk nodded as AJ just shrugged.

"Nah, I'm over it now." She said, even though she knew she most definitely was not over it, or him. That was what annoyed her so much. Seeing him again brought all of those memories back. Those times they spent together. The things they told one another. Things no one else knew. It was hard for her to not just burst into tears.

"You're over it? Why are you here then?" He tested her.

"I'm here to tell you to stay away-"

"I have. You've came to me." Punk smiled a little as she glared at him.

"Don't smile me." AJ warned him as Punk looked at her, "Eight years have gone by. Do you know how many times I've said to myself wow… this would be so much easier if Phil was here… with me." AJ nodded, a lump in her throat, "When I went to college. When I tried to take my own life. When I was so depressed I didn't see a point in living. When I struggled to find a job. When I had a baby I never planned to have. When I couldn't take care of that baby properly and felt like a complete failure." She said, "Do you know how much I just wanted you to be there? No… no, how much I needed you to be there?" She questioned as Punk looked across at her. It broke his heart in two to know how much he'd hurt her.

"I wish I was there. If I could go back I would-"

"No you wouldn't." AJ said, finding herself again, not letting her emotion get to her, "No, you're happy here making lots of money and being exactly what your father was. A lonely, selfish, self-centred asshole." She said, "That's exactly what you are." She nodded, "And I want nothing to do with you."

"If that's how you feel." Punk swallowed the lump in his throat as she nodded.

"It is." AJ said, "And I don't want you near my daughter either." She said childishly.

"Why would I wanna be around her anyway?" Punk asked her hastily as AJ narrowed her eyes at him. He realised that was uncalled for but working in trade had definitely changed his attitude, and when she was coming at him he felt like his back was up against the wall.

"Fuck you." AJ whispered, grabbing the mug of coffee that was sitting on his desk, cold from earlier on, walking along his desk and pouring it over the papers on it before smashing the mug on the edge of the desk, "Hope you didn't need any of that." She said, walking towards his office door whilst Punk looked at his ruined paper work, "Stay away from me, Phil." She hissed before leaving the office, slamming the door shut as Punk watched her through the glass, watching her knock over stacks of boxes and paper on her way out to the elevator. Things definitely weren't the same.

* * *

 **A/N: Thanks for the reviews! Glad you are enjoying this so far. Lots more to come from this so stay tuned and tell me what you think!**


	32. Come Around

**Come Around**

* * *

"Ma?" Punk called as he walked in the door to his mother's house. All the feelings he got when he walked back into the house was such a rush. Back when things seemed simple. When he thought he had everything he ever needed. Wanted. When he KNEW he had everything he ever needed and wanted.

"Mom?" Punk called again, walking back from the kitchen and into the living room where he saw the baby sitting looking on at the TV. She was cute as hell. An image of AJ. He watched her as she chewed on her giraffe whilst keeping her eyes on the TV where some shapes were singing and dancing together in different colours.

"Uh…" Punk looked at her as Alba turned around, "You saw my mom?" Punk asked her, putting his hands behind his back as Alba just looked at him funnily with those huge brown eyes, "What the fuck am I doing?" He said quietly to himself, leaving the living room and walking upstairs, "Mom, you in?" Punk asked.

"Nursery." Kerry answered. It felt good to hear Punk just walk into the house again. She'd missed that.

Punk had no clue which room was the nursery, he took a wild guess and figured it would be AJ's old room, so he walked on in, sighing to himself as the room they used to lay in and talk about their future was now her daughter's nursery.

"Hey." Punk nodded.

"Hi." Kerry smiled, "Sorry, I'm just folding these clothes away." Kerry said as Punk nodded, looking around the nursery which was sweet as hell, "How are you?" She asked him, "Did you stick your head into the living room? Is Alba alright?" She asked.

"She's good." Punk nodded briefly, "I just came here for a chat. Maybe… a longer one than the other night." He said as Kerry smiled and nodded.

"I thought you would." Kerry said, "Go down and put the coffee on then." She smiled, "I'll only be a couple of minutes. And oh, can you make sure Alba isn't sitting too close to the TV, April would kill me." She said as Punk just left the nursery and headed back downstairs.

He stuck his head back into the living room where he saw Alba practically sitting right in front of the TV. He didn't want to touch her after AJ hissed at him to never go near her, but pushing her back from the TV wasn't gonna kill anyone.

"Ok, you're way too close." Punk said, walking over, taking her from under the arms and sliding her back the way as Alba tilted her head back to look at him, wondering why on earth he had disturbed her like this, "I'm sorry." Punk shook his head, "See, you can still see the TV." He said as Alba crawled back over to where she was sitting before, "Oh, whatever." Punk waved his hand and left the living room.

He made coffee for he and his mom, sitting it on the table just as Kerry came downstairs and smiled upon seeing him sitting at the table.

"Still can't believe you're home." Kerry shook her head, sitting down at the table as Punk nodded.

"Yeah but… I-I somehow don't think it was a good idea." He admitted, "April paid me a visit the other night." Punk nodded as Kerry raised her eyebrows, "I thought she'd be mad, of course but… she's more than mad." He said, "I should have been there for her. For all of this. Maybe I am like my dad." He shook his head.

"No you're not." Kerry sighed, "Look, I see it from both point of views. I've been here for April and yeah, she has gone through a lot. It would have been a little easier for her if maybe you were there, because I know how much she loved you. But… you were also just kids, you're allowed to go out and make a living for yourself… if you had left in a more appropriate way. If you maybe told her face-to-face, talked it out, maybe it wouldn't have seemed so… cold, like you really were cutting us all off." Kerry nodded.

"Yeah, I know." Punk said, "If I could do things differently I would. I just thought… she was going off to college, at this point I thought she was moving out. It was gonna be hard anyway, and something was pulling me away." He shook his head as Kerry nodded.

"Yeah, I know." Kerry nodded. She didn't have that much advice for her son. She was just here to listen to him.

"Why did she go to local college?" Punk asked, "She was set on the one outside the city." He said.

"She got into the one outside the city. She went to it for… two months… that's when she tried to… take her own life." Kerry said, "She and I both agreed that she should be close to home. So that when she did feel under the weather, she did feel stressed… we could be there for her." She said as Punk nodded.

"I can't believe she tried to kill herself." Punk shook his head. He knew AJ. He knew her as a strong, fierce, fearless woman. And he knew that anyone could try to commit suicide, but it just wasn't something he ever expected, "How did it happen?" He asked.

"We got a phone call from the hospital. Someone had found her in her room. I was… I was in shock for a long time." Kerry said, "Me and Dean drove up and she spent a few weeks there. That's when they diagnosed her bipolar." She said, "I felt so stupid for not realising. But whenever she was down or upset I thought it was to do with you." She said, "But she is… so much better now." She nodded to him.

"She looks good." Punk nodded, "Healthy I mean." He said as Kerry smiled, "But she hates me. And I'm pretty sure Dean hates me too." He said, "And to be honest, you should hate me." He said as Kerry shook her head.

"I would never hate you." Kerry said, "It's my job to understand where you're coming from. And I do. You were young. You had an itch to go do this job and I think it paid off I mean… you're set for life. You got money, you got a place to stay, you're good at your job I assume." She laughed a little as Punk smiled.

"Yeah but was all of that worth the girl I loved and my brother still wanting to… be my brother?" Punk shook his head.

"Well that's a question only you can answer. Dean loves you so… I know that whatever it is you're both going through, you'll work it out." Kerry nodded, "I can't speak for April. She's gone through a lot and… she's got a life that unfortunately doesn't have you anywhere in it-"

"Yeah she made herself very clear when she told me to stay away from her." Punk nodded, "She also told me to stay away from her kid." Punk shrugged.

"She's not spoke about you since you left. I think it's all bottled up with her so… I'm not surprised it all came screaming out." Kerry nodded, "And I did tell her that it might be best to go visit you, to get some things off her chest." He said.

"Oh, so it was your idea?" Punk asked as Kerry smiled, "I needed to hear it so… it's fine." Punk said, "Maybe her hating me is best for us to both move forward." He shrugged.

"Oh, you don't really think she actually hates you?" Kerry chuckled as Punk looked across at her, "Of course she still loves you. She thinks she hates you." She nodded, "And she definitely hates what you did but… I think if you gave it some time, let her calm down, maybe she would come around-"

"You didn't see her. How mad she was." Punk said, "There's no coming around from this." Punk said.

"I'm just glad my son is back." Kerry smiled, "I hope I get to see more of you and you can… you can tell me all about the past eight years." She said, "I am proud of you, you know." She said as Punk smiled.

"Thanks, mom." Punk nodded, watching at the corner of his eye as he saw the baby crawl into the kitchen. It was strange to think that AJ was a mom. That she had this completely other life now.

"Oh, hi." Kerry smiled, picking Alba up who was immediately interested in the coffee cup, "Oh, no. Too burny." She said, sliding the coffee away as Alba frowned as Punk smiled a little as he watched her. She was beautiful. Just like her mom.

"Has she stayed with you since she was born?" Punk asked.

"Pretty much. AJ got home from the hospital with her, at her own place, she took a little turn, an episode as her doctor says, she… left the apartment and left Alba there herself." Kerry nodded, "Her upstairs neighbour called me. They didn't phone the social or anything but I… me and April had a serious conversation about it." Kerry said, "She just seemed terrified, like she didn't know what to do, so I told her I would have her here with me so it meant AJ could still work." Kerry nodded, "She visits every night and when she has the day off we take her out. She's an amazing mom. Alba staying with me is no reflection on how a good a mom AJ is. It's just better this way." Kerry said as Punk nodded.

Alba sat on Kerry's lap, pointing at Punk who looked at the baby nervously, "Hey, who is that? Is that Phil?" Kerry looked down at Alba who reached her arms out to Punk. She was intrigued by the new face, "You wanna say hello?" Kerry asked Alba.

"Uh…" Punk stood up, "I need to get going." Punk said as Kerry looked up, "Thanks for the coffee, though." He said, leaning forward and kissing his mother's cheek, shaking Alba's hand as Kerry smiled at how awkward he looked.

"It's ok." Kerry said, "Things will settle down. Give it some time." Kerry said as he just nodded.

"Yeah." Punk said, "I'll see you later." He said, walking off out of the house as Alba waved her hand as Kerry smiled.

"Are you waving? You're so clever." Kerry smiled as Alba continued to wave even though Punk was long gone, "That's the man your mommy pretends to hate but really she still loves." She said as Alba looked up at her, "Yes, it is." She nodded.

* * *

"Hey." Punk opened up his door as he saw Dean standing, who he had called around later on that night.

"Hi." Dean folded his arms.

"Come in." Punk said, standing to the side as Dean walked into the penthouse.

"I'm not here for another fight." Dean made clear.

"Neither am I." Punk said, "I actually wanted to apologise." He said, "I'd just found out about AJ, what happened to her, and I think I was more mad at myself than anyone else." He nodded, "I fucked up, Dean. I know that." He nodded as Dean looked across at him, "And you can hate me. You have every reason to-"

"I don't hate you, Phil. I just think you've made dumb choices." Dean said, "And if you think you can come back here and pick up where you left off then… that ain't gonna happen. April wants nothing to do with you. She's got a kid, a job, her own life… it doesn't include you. I'm being blunt with you because I don't want you hoping for something that doesn't happen." Dean said.

"I know that. I know it's not the same and I know April wants nothing to do with me. Trust me." Punk nodded, "She came to see me the other night. Told me exactly how she felt about me." He said, "I don't blame her. I should have been there for her. Like I promised I always would." He said, "That's on me." He nodded, "But I'm back in Chicago now and… I wanna see my brother more." He said, "And my mom." He nodded as Dean looked across at him, "If you're alright with that." Punk nodded as Dean smiled to him.

"Of course I'm alright with that." Dean nodded.

"Good, cause I bought beers for you that need drank. They're in the fridge." He said.

"Sweet." Dean nodded, heading over to the kitchen as Punk smiled.

* * *

"So who is the dad? Was she dating him?" Punk asked, sitting later that night on the couch with Dean who had drank a few beers.

"Uh… she never talks to me about him really. I don't think she was dating him." Dean said, "I think she's embarrassed that a one night stand turned into a pregnancy." He nodded, "He wanted nothing to do with it anyway." He shrugged.

"She's a cute baby." Punk said as Dean nodded.

"She's funny as hell too." Dean said, "Me and Renee take her out every Saturday." He nodded.

"April told me to not go near her so." Punk shrugged, "I guess I'll be seeing none of her."

"She's just mad." Dean said, "I think she'll come around."

"I don't." Punk said, "I've never saw someone hate me this much. And trust me, over the years, a lot of people have hated me." He nodded, "And I still love her which is the hardest thing."

"If you loved her as much as you said you did, why'd you leave? Surely if you were that in love, she would have come first before anything else." Dean turned to him as Punk nodded.

"She did. She did come first." Punk said, "And then I opened dad's letter." Punk said as Dean turned to him.

"What are you talking about?" Dean asked.

"Dad asked me to go work for his company to find out who was moving money. He knew his life was in danger. He knew someone was trying to take him down. And so in my letter, he wrote asking that if he did somehow get hurt, that I go to New York, I get Ted to train me up and I get close to the files from back when he was killed, and I get close to the workers here in Chicago, and I figure this whole thing out." Punk nodded, "That's why I'm doing this." He said as Dean looked at him.

"What?" Dean shook his head, "What the hell? Why didn't you tell me? Why didn't you say about the letter?"

"Because I didn't want anyone else dragged into it. And if I had to go to New York then I had to leave you guys." Punk said, "I don't know, I know me and dad weren't close but… I just became attached to the idea of finding his killer. He was still our dad." He said.

"And have you found him?" Dean asked.

"No." Punk said, "I've unlocked little bits here and there but… now that I'm working in Chicago I can really get close to the people."

"You're his son. They're gonna be suspicious. Plus, it's been eight years. The killer could be moved on for all you know." Dean said.

"Maybe but I got access to the files from back then, when the money was being moved. And if I also get in with the board, I get control all over the whole company." He said as Dean raised his eyebrows.

"And you think you can get in?" Dean asked.

"Yeah, I think so." Punk nodded, "But you can't tell anyone about this." Punk warned him, "It's better no one knows. It doesn't matter if I told AJ about this, she'd still hate me for leaving regardless." He said.

"She doesn't hate you. She loves you." Dean rolled his eyes, "She wants to hate you but she can't."

"Well she hates me in my eyes." Punk said.

"I can't believe this is why you're doing all of this. For a guy that we barely even saw." Dean said.

"I know, I know it's weird but… he was still our dad. We never got the chance to say goodbye, to have a good relationship with him, to try harder at making it work. Plus someone could be still taking money from the company and… I don't want that to happen." He said.

"Because you're such a businessman now?" Dean teased as Punk rolled his eyes.

"Yeah, that's why." Punk nodded.

"How many secretaries have you fucked?" Dean asked him.

"I don't have secretaries." Punk laughed, "There was this coffee girl one time, though." He nodded.

"Oh, yeah?" Dean said as Punk nodded.

"Promise me you won't tell anyone." Punk said.

"About… the coffee girl?" Dean questioned.

"No. About dad's letter, about me trying to find the person who killed him." Punk said.

"Oh… no, I won't." Dean said as Punk nodded, "You got more beer?" He asked.

"You've drank them all." Punk laughed to himself.

"Oh." Dean realised.


	33. Not Enough

**Not Enough**

* * *

"Has she still been teething?" AJ asked, sitting on the couch with Alba in her arms. Although Alba lived with Kerry, she definitely knew her mother was AJ. She liked to fall asleep in her arms at night time, and for AJ, it was the best therapy in the world. There were times were she felt like a failure as a mother because Alba didn't live with her, but she knew that when they made the decision, she wasn't in a good place. She wanted the best for Alba and at the time, that meant her staying with Kerry.

"Yeah, she has. Poor baby." Kerry sighed. She absolutely loved being a grandma. Even though it wasn't by blood, that didn't matter, AJ was just like a daughter to her and Alba was just like a granddaughter.

"She seems a little better." AJ said, cradling Alba in her arms as she lay drifting into sleep.

"Yeah, I think she's over the worst of it." Kerry said, sitting beside, "Phil told me you went to see him."

"He was here again?" AJ asked immediately.

"Yeah." Kerry nodded, "Said you were… really mad." She said as AJ nodded.

"Yeah well I was. I have a right to be." AJ said, "He can't just come back and pick up where he left off. Absolutely not. No way. So much has gone on that he conveniently just avoided."

"He didn't know about anything that happened, in all fairness." Kerry said.

"In all fairness he just up and left one night." AJ said, "That's why he didn't know about anything that happened. It's on him for leaving."

"He still loves you." Kerry said as AJ just shook her head.

"No he doesn't. If he loved me he would never have left. Especially to go do what he did. To work at his father's company. Something we talked about all the time that he… he constantly told me he would never even consider." AJ said, "He's a liar. And he's selfish."

"You're allowed to be mad." Kerry agreed.

"I know I am." AJ said, "And I don't want him near my baby."

"That's just being childish. If Phil comes to visit me and she's here then… well there's nothing we can do about that." Kerry said.

"Well then maybe we need to talk about me… taking full care of her." AJ nodded as Kerry turned to her.

"You don't have room in your apartment." Kerry said, "April don't make rash decisions because you're mad about Phil being back."

"I'm not." AJ said, "I've been thinking about it for a long time." She said, "I'll look at two bedroom apartments." She nodded, "I should be able to afford it."

"Or why don't you come live here with me. That way I can still be here for Alba but you can… you can take more control. It'll ease you into it." Kerry said.

"No, I'm not living here when Phil is popping his head in every now and then. No way." AJ said.

"Well please don't be making this decision based on him and him being back. That's not very responsible." Kerry told her as AJ just nodded.

"I'm not. I have been thinking about it." AJ said, "This was always just temporary anyway." She said, "Until I… found my feet, found a balance." She nodded.

"I know that but I just want you to be sure. Our system works pretty well right now. Just because Phil is here doesn't mean it has to change."

"Well I don't wanna be around him." AJ said, "So yes, it does." She said as Kerry just sighed.

"Wouldn't you consider having a… a civil conversation with him?" Kerry asked her, "Like the adults that you both are?" She wondered.

"No." AJ scoffed, "I've said everything I wanted to say. I want him to stay away now. From me and from Alba. When he was around did she see him?" She asked.

"A little bit." Kerry said, "She wanted him to lift her but he… he took off. Probably terrified of what you would do if you found out." She shook her head.

"Why are you shaking your head?" AJ asked, "She's my baby and I don't want her around him-"

"Why not?" Kerry laughed a little, "All he'd do is be sweet to her and you know that."

"No. No, I don't want her around anyone who just up and leaves the way he did. I want her to have stability." She said as Kerry just nodded.

"Well Alba seemed to like him." Kerry said childishly as AJ just looked down at Alba who was fast asleep in her arms.

"No." AJ hummed, "No, the only man in her life is her uncle Dean. And that's the way it is staying." AJ made clear, stroking Alba's cheek as Kerry sighed, "I'm gonna go put her down." She said, standing up and leaving the living room.

She headed upstairs and walked into the nursery which used to be her old bedroom. At first it felt surreal that the bedroom she spent in with him, trusting him, being comforted by him, where they would shut the world out, was now where her baby daughter slept in every night. It wasn't how she ever imagined her life but Alba was never something she regretted or looked back on with shame. She loved her daughter.

"There we go." AJ smiled, placing Alba down in her crib, pulling the blanket over her, sitting her giraffe beside her, "Mama loves you." She said, stroking her cheek softly.

* * *

"I have a meeting with the board tomorrow morning." Punk said, sitting in his office with his phone to his ear, talking to Ted of course, "Yeah I had them emailed to me. If I show them the numbers from last year combined with this years and compare it to how terrible they were in years before, they've gotta listen to me, right?" Punk said, listening to Ted on the phone, watching as Dean appeared walking down the offices from the elevator as Punk watched through the glass.

"Uh… can I call you back?" Punk spoke into the phone, "Yeah, ok." He said, hanging up the phone and standing up as Dean walked into his office, "What-What are you doing here?" Punk asked him.

"I'm on my lunch break, wondering if you wanted to go grab a sandwich." He said as Punk looked across at him.

"I am kinda hungry." Punk admitted truthfully, "Yeah, ok." He nodded, logging off his computer, taking his phone off the hook and grabbing his wallet.

"This is a nice office. Where are the framed pictures of me?" He looked around.

"Yeah, they're still being processed." Punk nodded sarcastically, leaving the office, locking the door behind him.

"Why are you locking it?" Dean asked him, "Have you got porno mags in there or something?"

"Yeah, because I sit and jerk off with everyone watching me through the glass." Punk said as Dean looked at him, "No, I lock it because there's important files in there." He said, putting the key in his pocket and walking down the offices.

"Is that coffee girl?" Dean nodded over to the girl standing by the photocopier.

"No, coffee girl was back in New York." Punk said, "I don't know any of the girls here."

"Then whose underwear did I sit on the other day?" Dean asked him.

"The estate agents." Punk said, getting in the elevator as Dean shook his head.

"You're a mess." Dean said.

* * *

"So you still keeping your job down at the garage?" Punk asked, sitting across the street in the sandwich shop with Dean.

"Yeah. I gotta. Or else Renee will throw me out again." Dean rolled his eyes, "And then I have to… sleep on AJ's couch. And she always wakes me at like 7am."

"Why don't you just live with mom?" Punk laughed.

"Because Alba wakes me up at 6." Dean said, "I can't catch a fucking break with these women." He shook his head as Punk smiled, "Plus AJ doesn't get at me the way mom does." He shrugged.

"Were you there when she… was going through everything in the hospital?" Punk asked as Dean nodded.

"Yeah, me and mom. Renee was there too." Dean said, "Wasn't the best of times. Watching someone you care about in pain like that. Not wanting to be here anymore. It sucked." Dean said as Punk nodded, "But she's got through it. She has treatment. Medication. Therapy is… every Thursday I think." He said, "And Alba was a big part of her making sure she stayed on the right path." He nodded.

"Yeah, I bet." Punk said, "I wish she didn't hate me as much as she does."

"She doesn't hate you." Dean said, "Honestly, she doesn't. She might say that she does but… that's just to convince herself." He said as Punk shook his head.

"No, she really doesn't want me around." Punk laughed a little, "And I get why." He nodded, "But I just wish I could do something." He sighed.

"I mean you could start by apologising-"

"Oh, I did." Punk said, "I apologised when she came to see me but… she had none of it. Threw coffee all over my desk, smashed my mug, kicked over the garbage can… I mean I was a little scared." He admitted as Dean smiled.

"Well the start off by doing something small like… send her flowers." Dean shrugged, "Or a card or something I don't know."

"Oh, yeah. Because flowers are gonna change her mind and calm her down." Punk nodded.

"Hey, you never know." Dean said, "I mean maybe she'll never forgive you and it is best that you both just… move forward without one another in your lives. Maybe that's for the best."

"I can't stand that she hates me like this." Punk sighed, "And I can't stand what I did. Coming back here reminds me of how much I loved her, how good we were together, and it makes me feel worse for what I did." He sighed, "And not being there for her when she needed me the most."

"I know it sucks. For you mostly." Dean said, "But you've just got here, give it a little bit of time, let her cool off. Maybe you two can talk a little more adult like when things have settled down. Wounds are still fresh right now." He said as Punk nodded.

"Yeah, I know." Punk sighed.

* * *

Later that night, AJ was sitting on the couch writing on her laptop. She tried to dedicate as much of her free time to writing her own things as possible. She wanted to be published. She didn't want to just be writing little short pieces here and there for an agency. She wanted to have her writing out there and she was doing everything she could.

She was brought out of her writing when there was a knock at the door. She got up off the couch, pushing the blanket away and sitting her laptop on the coffee table as she walked over to the door.

She opened it up and saw a delivery man standing with a bouquet of flowers and a gift bag. She raised a brow and looked at him.

"Miss…" He looked down at the card, "April Mendez?" He looked at her.

"Yeah." AJ nodded.

"These are for you." He said, handing her the flowers and the small gift bag as AJ shook her head, sitting them over on the couch, signing for them and closing the door over as she walked back over to the couch.

She found the card in the flowers and opened it up.

 _I'm so sorry I wasn't there for you. I hope you can forgive me one day. Phil_

She rolled her eyes and tossed the card over, taking the gift bag and digging into it as she pulled out the stuffed giraffe, looking on at the note attached to it which simply read 'for Alba' on it.

Her breath gasped for a second as she remembered the kindness of him whilst she held the giraffe in her hand, the sweetness that she remembered loving so much about him.

But flowers didn't make up for anything. She grabbed the bouquet of flowers, along with the card, and walked into the kitchen, stepping down on the trash to open the lid, stuffing the flowers down into the trash, letting the lid close back over as she dusted her hands off.

"Idiot." She scoffed, walking back over to the couch, tossing the giraffe into the bag and sitting it over, grabbing her laptop and going back to what she was doing.


	34. Impossible

**Impossible**

* * *

"Oh, is that a new toy? She loves giraffes." Kerry smiled as AJ was sat on the couch with Alba on her lap, showing her the new giraffe that Phil had gave her.

"Yeah, it is." AJ said briefly, "Is this a mister or a misses giraffe?" AJ asked, moving the giraffe around as Alba held onto it, "Huh? I think it's a mister." AJ nodded, "You wanna have him?" She asked as Alba took the giraffe from her, holding it against her mouth and in against her necks, "Aw, are you giving him kisses?" AJ cooed softly as Alba smiled.

"April if you need anything just call me." Kerry said, standing in front of the mirror as she put on some lip gloss.

"I'll be fine. I've been on my own with her many of times." AJ reminded Kerry. Sometimes Kerry went out with a friend for drinks for the night and AJ would stay with Alba and stay overnight. It was nice to spend the night alone with her baby.

"I know you have but just in case, I'm a phone call away." Kerry said. She would never tell AJ how to be a mother, that wasn't how she rolled, but she was of course always there to help if she needed her.

"Just you go and have a great night. Relax." AJ smiled as Kerry nodded, "You look great." She nodded, "Doesn't grandma look great?" She asked Alba who was too busy making friends with her new giraffe.

"She likes that one." Kerry noticed as AJ nodded, "Ok, I better get going. Have a nice night in." She said, leaning over and kissing AJ's cheek as well as Alba's, "I'll see you both in the morning if I'm home too late. Lock the door anyway I have a key." She said.

"Ok, go enjoy." AJ smiled, watching as she left the living room and headed out for the night, "Ok, you wanna go play on your mat?" She said, sitting Alba down on the little play mat she had with some of her other toys around, "Oh, you like that giraffe, huh?" AJ smiled as Alba clutched onto the stuffed animal tightly.

She sat down beside her, crossing her legs in a basket as she played with her toys with her. Sometimes she did get down about the fact she hadn't been a consistent mother for Alba. She knew herself when she gave birth and post-partum that she was struggling. If she wasn't crippled with depression she was doing the most ridiculous things like leaving the baby in the apartment on her own. She wasn't in a good place and she felt lucky to have Kerry and also Dean to help her.

Although she had that blimp, she was a hands on mother. She didn't let the fact that her daughter didn't live with her, stop her from being a great mom. She saw her every day. She took her out on her days off. She knew all the mother tricks and tips. It had just taken her a little longer to get used to.

* * *

"I did what you said." Punk said, sitting in Dean's apartment where he'd been invited over for dinner with him and Renee. It was nice to be able to see his family again on a constant basis. He'd forgot how much it meant to him to have them so close. Back in New York he had friends but it didn't compare to family.

"What did I say?" Dean worried, grabbing the Chinese take-out box from the centre of the table.

"What did he say?" Renee worried also.

"I sent AJ flowers." Punk said, "And I also sent Alba a little… stuffed giraffe thing." Punk said.

"Oh, she likes giraffes." Renee smiled.

"Yeah, I saw her nursery is filled with them." Punk nodded, "It's not gonna fix everything, I know but… maybe you're right, maybe… just one step at a time." He said.

"What do you want out of it, though?" Dean asked, "Do you want her back?" He wondered.

"I don't know… I… I need to focus so much on my job. And I don't think she'd want me back anyway." He said, "But I can't have her hating me like this. I gotta do something." He shook his head, "Where does she work?"

"She works for a publishing agency." Renee said, "She's trying to get published but she's had a few setbacks. She does some writing for other things in the agency, as a full-time job. But she's really trying to get published." She nodded.

"Yeah, she'll get there." Punk nodded to himself, he believed in her, "Has she… had any other relationships?" He asked as Dean shook his head.

"No, just one night stands." Dean nodded.

"And Alba's dad wants nothing to do with them?" Punk asked.

"No. She told him when she was pregnant but… he cut off contact from her right away. She got the message." Renee nodded, "She was really positive with the pregnancy, right?" She turned to Dean who nodded, reaching for another spring roll, "She then hit the eight month mark and… I don't know what happened. She just got spooked." Renee said as Punk nodded.

"I just can't believe she's got a kid." Punk shook his head, it was still hard to wrap his head around it.

"Why, because you thought the first kid she'd have would be yours?" Dean looked at him as Punk shook his head.

"No, I… I just didn't expect it-"

"Well neither did she in all fairness." Dean said, "But she's doing good. She's good with her. Really good. I don't think it'll be long until she's moving into a bigger place and taking full care of Alba."

"Yeah, I think so." Renee agreed with him, "She just needed a little extra help. I don't think there's anything wrong with. Especially as a single mom." She nodded, "So… I don't get it, is Alba gonna call you uncle Punk or-"

"Why would she call him her uncle?" Dean turned to Renee, "Then she'll grow up and figure out her uncle fucked her mom. It's like a bad porno." He said as Renee rolled her eyes.

"I know what she means." Punk nodded, "I don't think she'll call me anything. AJ doesn't want me around her or the baby." He shrugged.

"She was saying all of that when she was heated. I told you, give her time to cool off." Dean said as Punk just nodded.

"I might go see mom on my way home." Punk said, "I've missed talking to her." He shook his head.

"She's missed you." Dean nodded, "Call her and make sure she's in before you go, though." He said as Punk nodded.

* * *

"Hey, mom. Are you in? I was at Dean's for dinner and I was gonna pop in? I'm on my way home." Punk spoke to his mom on the phone.

"Oh… hey, uh… yeah, yeah I'm in." Kerry said, even though she was sitting in a bar with a friend, "Just walk on in." Kerry nodded, knowing exactly what she was doing of course.

"Ok, I'm just around the corner." Punk said.

"See you soon." Kerry said, hanging up as Punk put his phone in his pocket and headed to the house he grew up in, walking up the steps and opening up the door, walking on in. It felt strange to do so. It reminded him of being young. When things were easy. When he had everything he ever wanted.

He shut the door over behind him, wiping his feet on the mat and pausing when he heard footsteps coming downstairs.

"Kerry?" AJ said, walking down the stairs, pausing halfway down when she saw it was Punk standing at the door, slowly walking down the rest of them with her eyes fixed on him. It felt a little more normal to see him in jeans and a t-shirt instead of his shirt the other day. She wouldn't deny how very attractive he was, but she couldn't even think about that when he had hurt her so much.

"My… mom said she was in." Punk said.

"Well she's not." AJ said, as though he was stupid, "So unless you need something." She said, nodding at the door as he looked across at her.

"This is… my house." Punk laughed a little.

"Your house. Which you left eight years ago." AJ reminded him, "Yeah, that house." She nodded, walking through to the living room as Punk followed her.

"You know what, you can be mad with me, I get all of that, but you don't have to be nasty." He said, watching her as she picked up some of the toys around the floor to put in the box in the corner of the room.

"I don't think I'm being nasty, Phil. I'm being honest." AJ said, "Your mom isn't here. So… you can go home to your fancy apartment on the top floor, and make sure next time when you come, I'm not here." She nodded.

"Why won't you let me apologise?" Punk asked her as she tossed the toys into the box and turned around to look at him, "I'm saying to you I know I was a dick. I know I messed up. I know I lost the best thing that I had in my life. And I'm sorry." He said, "Why don't you believe me?"

"If you loved me the way I loved you, you would never have left. I was the idiot who fell for it. I thought you really cared about me-"

"I did." Punk said, "April, I still do-"

"Bullshit!" AJ yelled, "Caring about someone means you'll do whatever you can to be there for them, hold their hand when they're scared, be there for them at their lowest, and you left. You didn't care-"

"If someone had contacted me and told me what was going on I would have come back." Punk nodded.

"Oh, gosh. Phil, the hero." AJ said sarcastically, "The sad thing is, I don't think you even would have come back if you knew." She said, "I think somewhere in that… self-centred brain of yours, you would have convinced yourself that staying away would be for the best." She said, "You're just like your dad." She nodded.

"Yeah well you're shaping up to be just like your mom." Punk spat out as AJ looked across at him. He knew that was the one thing that would have really hurt her feelings and he wished he hadn't said that. He felt immediate guilt.

"I'm not like my mom." AJ said calmly. She couldn't believe he had said that. He knew that was something that was always a sensitive spot for her. And she did worry all the time about how she would turn out as a mother, if she would mirror her own, so to hear him say that was devastating, "When your apology consists of saying something like that, I don't wanna hear it anymore." She shook her head tiredly.

"I didn't mean that." Punk said, "I'm sorry." He shook his head as AJ looked across at him, "I hate that you hate me. I hate that I left the way I did-"

"Then why did you?!" AJ shouted, "Why do it? Do you remember? Those conversation we would have. Conversations after really good sex." She said with fondness in her voice for once, "Where you'd tell me that you couldn't think of anything worse than working for that company, than being like your dad." She said, "And now look at you." She looked him up and down.

"Yeah, I remember." Punk said, "And I remember saying to you that… I would always love you. No matter what happened." He said, "That still stands."

"Well it's too late because now, I don't want you to love me. I want you to go away." AJ replied as Punk looked across at her, "I needed you back then. I don't need you now." She shook her head, "And you clearly don't need me. You're rich and you have what you set out for. Congratulations. It was all worth it." She nodded as Punk rubbed the back of his neck.

"Did you get my flowers?" Punk asked, not knowing why he even asked.

"My trash got your flowers, yeah." AJ nodded as Punk looked across at her, "Alba likes the giraffe." She shrugged.

"Well at least she's giving me a chance." Punk shook his head as AJ looked across at him.

"You don't deserve a chance." She said quietly. She hated that things had to be so hostile with them when things used to be so perfect, but she was so hurt by what he'd done that she just couldn't forgive him. It felt like it was impossible. Did she still love him? Absolutely.

"Well I called my mom and she said she was in so… that's why I came." Punk said, "I'm sorry I interrupted your night." He told her, "I'll make sure I come visit when you aren't around." He shrugged.

"Ok." AJ shrugged, "Well you can leave now." She nodded as Punk already began to walk out of the living room. She followed him out.

"I don't know what else to say other than… I'm sorry." Punk shrugged as she looked up at him. She chose not to reply and watched as he turned on his heel and walked out of the house.

She closed the door behind him, locking it and putting the chain on as she turned around and leaned her back against it, sighing to herself, listening as Alba began to cry from upstairs.

"I'm coming." AJ sighed, heading up the stairs and into the nursery, "What is it, baby?" AJ sighed, picking her up as the baby girl cried, "Is it your teeth? Huh? Or a bad dream?" She whispered, "Tell mama." She nodded, drying her tears and bouncing her in her arms lightly, walking over to the window as she saw Punk walking down the street, sighing to herself as she kissed Alba's head and bounced her lightly in her arms, watching as Punk disappeared around the corner.


	35. Making Plans

**Making Plans**

* * *

"I know what you were doing last night." AJ said, sitting at the kitchen table the next morning, feeing Alba her breakfast in her high chair beside her whilst Kerry had come into the kitchen.

"W-What did I do last night?" Kerry wondered, feeling the effects of the wine she had drank last night.

"You told Phil you were in so that he came into the house whilst I was here." AJ said, "When you know how I feel." She said, taking a piece of banana and handing it to Alba who took it from her and put it in her mouth.

"Well, April… I think you both need to talk and get everything off your chest." Kerry said, switching the coffee maker on.

"I don't want to see him. I've got everything off my chest." AJ said, "So please don't do that again." AJ shook her head as Kerry sighed.

"Can't you just find it in your heart to forgive him? Or at least see where he's coming from?" Kerry asked, "It's not like he cheated on you and ran away with some other person and became a criminal and all of this awful stuff. He left to go do a job. To feel closer to his dad that he saw shot up and dead-"

"Then why didn't just tell me that back then? Why didn't he sit me down and say, hey AJ, I wanna do this thing and I don't think we can be together through it." AJ said, "I deserved an explanation. Did he think so little of me that he just… left? Didn't give a damn about how I would feel-"

"Of course he did." Kerry said, "You're the only thing that has ever mattered to him. You know that fine well." She said.

"No. No, now he has his job." AJ shook her head, "That's all he cares about." She said as Alba took another piece of banana from her and put in her mouth.

"Well did you talk about anything last night?" Kerry asked, sitting down at the table with her coffee as AJ shook her head.

"No we just yelled some more." AJ said, "I can't forgive him. There's nothing he can say or do." She shrugged.

"I don't believe that. April, I know you still love him. You're kidding yourself on here." Kerry said.

"You don't know how I feel." AJ corrected her, getting some yoghurt on Alba's spoon, giving her the spoon as she fed herself which she had been doing recently, "Clever girl." AJ clapped her hands as Alba clapped too whilst eating some more breakfast.

"I know you well enough to know that you still love him. You're trying to be so mad but you can only act for so long."

"You think I'm acting?" AJ laughed, "I'm mad at him, for real." AJ said, "And I do not love him." She said as Kerry just shook her head.

"Yes you do." She mumbled, "Anyway." She said louder, "How was she?" She asked.

"She woke up a few times but I think it's her teeth that are bothering her." AJ nodded, "But she was good as gold like she always is." AJ smiled to Alba whilst giving her the last of her breakfast.

"What are you up to today?" Kerry asked.

"I don't know. I'll spend the morning here." AJ nodded, "I might go look at apartments." She nodded.

"Are you sure you're ready? I'm not saying that because I don't think you are, I just want you to be sure." Kerry said.

"I'm ready." AJ nodded, "I'd still appreciate your help when I'm working but… I think… I think I can take care of my daughter full-time. I wanna have her nursery at my place and… see her every morning." She said, "This first year and a half has been tough, trying to find my feet, but… I think I'm good, I'm healthy." She nodded.

"As long as you're ready I'll be happy with whatever you want." Kerry smiled, "But I still want my cuddles from her." She nodded, stroking Alba's cheek as AJ smiled.

"Of course." AJ said, "I'll just be having a look right now. I'll need to save up a little more." She nodded.

"Well there's no rush. Don't stress yourself." Kerry said as AJ nodded.

"Ok, last piece of banana and then we need to get that face cleaned." AJ laughed a little, handing Alba the last piece of banana as she took it from her with both hands and put it in her mouth as AJ smiled watching her.

* * *

"How did the meeting with the board go?" Ted asked, standing in Punk's office whilst Punk sat behind his desk.

"Yeah, it went well. They were impressed with this year's trade so far. I don't doubt they're gonna let me in." Punk nodded, "I was checking out the computer, the service one over there that the cops found the gun bought on." He said as Ted nodded, "I know that the layout of the offices has changed but according to the blue prints I got…" He opened out his drawer as Ted raised his eyebrows.

"Where the hell did you get that?" Ted questioned.

"I know a guy." Punk said briefly, "I got these to see how things looked around the time my dad died and I realised that this floor was the only floor with the service computer." He said, "I thought every floor had one so I figured that our person would be working this floor but… they could be from any one." He said as Ted nodded.

"We know it was someone who was in contact with your dad. They would have had to have gotten into his details. His office. His computer eventually. To get his details and start moving the money." Ted said as Punk nodded.

"Yeah, well I have this." Punk said, pulling out a book, "It's a planner. Kim, my dad's girlfriend at the time, she cleared his office out and she gave me his things that were in it. I thought this would be useful for us." He opened it up, "It has names, dates, what he was doing, who he was seeing on different days. We'd be able to figure out when he was out of his office using this." He said as Ted nodded.

"You've got your game head back on. Good." Ted nodded, "I thought you were losing it for a while." He admitted.

"Well this is why I got into this business, right?" Punk said.

"Yeah but… you're also really smart and useful. You've made the company better. Your dad would be proud." Ted said, "I mean surely when or if we catch your dad's killer, you aren't gonna walk away from all of this." He said as Punk leaned against his chair, realising that he wouldn't walk away from it. He had grown to love his job.

"I guess not." Punk nodded.

"How are things going with your family?" Ted asked.

"Things are fine with my mom and brother." Punk nodded, "My ex is… a little harder to win over." He said.

"Your ex?" Ted laughed a little, "You were a kid back then. I say you just move on. You could get yourself a fine ass wife with the money you have-"

"I don't wanna buy a wife." Punk laughed a little.

"You've cleaned up since back then too. Look like a proper man and not a… dirty Punk." Ted said, "Trust me, kid. You'll meet someone that you'll be head over heels for and your ex won't even cross your mind. She'll just be a… a crush you had in high school." He waved his hand as Punk shook his head.

"I don't think so." Punk said.

"Keep me updated. Keep doing what you're doing." Ted nodded.

* * *

"How did the apartment hunting go?" Kerry asked as AJ arrived back at the house after being out looking at apartments all day with Alba in her stroller.

"Harder than I thought." AJ said, crouching down in front of the stroller where Alba was sleeping in, "Two bedrooms are pricier than I thought." She said, heading upstairs as Kerry followed.

"I told you." Kerry said as AJ walked into the nursery with Alba.

"I was thinking… Alba is gonna be going into a bed soon, not now but… maybe in a year or so." AJ nodded, laying Alba down on the changing mat so she could put her into her pyjamas, all whilst the baby girl stayed fast asleep. AJ had a gentle touch that made sure she didn't wake her, "So she could just sleep in the bed with me. I could just have her crib in by my bed for now and then move her in with me." AJ nodded as Kerry folded her arms and shook her head.

"No, April. She needs her own room." Kerry sighed, "She can't sleep in bed with you. That's not fair on you or her." She said, "If you want to see her more then why don't you just come back and live here. You'll see her every day and I'm still here to take care of her. It seems easier." She said.

"No, no I want to do this on my own." AJ sighed.

"If you can't afford it then just wait off a little bit." Kerry nodded, "Save up."

"Yeah." AJ nodded, popping the buttons on Alba's baby grow, "Yeah, I'll just have to save." She said.

"I could… talk to Phil." Kerry said.

"Don't you dare." AJ said immediately, turning to Kerry, "I'm not taking any of his money, certainly not for a place to stay." She said, lifting Alba back up and placing her in her crib.

"I'm sure he wouldn't mind helping." Kerry said.

"I would mind. I don't want to owe him anything." AJ made clear, "I'll save up and I'll do it on my own. It shouldn't take me long. I saw some really nice places. And they're close to work, and close to here." She said, "I just have to budget my money and hopefully get something published for a little bonus." She said.

"You set your mind to things you usually get them." Kerry nodded to her.

"I just want a good life for her." AJ sighed, looking down at Alba as she lay fast asleep with her hands above her head, so sweet and innocent, "I want to be there for her and give her a good life." She nodded as Kerry smiled.

"And you will. You are." Kerry said, "Coming from a single mother, I know it feels like the weight of the world is on your shoulders." She nodded, "But things will be alright." She nodded, "And you have me and Dean to support you." She said as AJ smiled and nodded.

"I don't know what I'd do without you both." AJ shook her head, "Throughout all of this." She said.

"Hey, we're family." Kerry said as AJ smiled, "I'm not gonna bang on about Phil with you, I know you're mad." She said, "I just don't want you to feel like you have to act this way. I saw you two together. You loved him." She said as AJ looked down at Alba, "I know he did wrong, leaving you the way he did, leaving us all, but I don't want you to be so strict with your feelings and wake up one morning and regret… not talking things through with him." Kerry said.

"I couldn't be with him. I'd be terrified of him leaving again." AJ made clear, "I don't want to be with him. What we had is gone." She said, even though she knew it most definitely wasn't. Even when she was standing in a room with him, she still felt that annoying rush through her body that she felt as a teen. She hated that he still made her feel that way.

"He loves you. You believe that, don't you?" Kerry asked.

"He loves his job." AJ said, "If anyone should understand how I feel, it's you. You've been through this. You've had someone leave you to go… work in an office every day and get lots of money." She said.

"My husband walked out of a marriage and our two children." Kerry said, "Phil was a young boy who didn't know what he wanted and left to go pursue a job."

"So you're saying I didn't matter?" AJ questioned.

"I'm saying it's not the same situation as me." Kerry said, "Phil is not his father. Phil is kind and good, and you know that probably better than anyone." She said as AJ stayed quiet, because she did know it, she looked on at her daughter cuddling into the giraffe he had sent for her and she knew he was kind and good.

"I know he is." AJ nodded, "But I can't let myself go there with him again." She shook her head, "I hate what he did. That's never going to change." She made clear as Kerry nodded.

"I know." Kerry rubbed her arm softly, "Come on, let's give her peace and quiet." She nodded as AJ looked down at Alba, stroking her cheek softly before leaving the nursery.


	36. Bonding

**Bonding**

* * *

A few weeks later Punk had finally settled into Chicago again. Or so he believed. He had stayed away from AJ like she so desperately begged him to. And he also made sure he saw as little of Alba as possible. He wasn't sure why AJ was so against him being around her, but he respected her wishes.

He knew if this was how things had to be, he would never be able to live with himself for how badly he had messed up. Knowing that AJ needed him and he wasn't there just broke his heart, and he felt the effects of it whilst he was trying to focus on work.

"I never thought I would be in one of these." Kerry admitted as she strolled into Punk's office. Having her son back was the best thing. She'd missed him so much. Whilst AJ wanted to preach about how much he had changed, she just saw the same little boy she'd always known.

"Like it?" Punk asked her.

"It's very nice." Kerry nodded, looking around.

"I just gotta finish this and then we can grab lunch." He nodded. It was nice on his side to be able to see his mom more. He'd missed her so much and they'd had plenty of conversations about him leaving. He felt like she was the only one who really understood where his mind was at, but he supposed that was a very mom like thing to do. Understand.

"I passed lots of… nice girls." Kerry nodded to him, "Future wife maybe?" She teased as Punk just laughed in response.

"I don't think so." Punk answered as Kerry smiled. She didn't think so either. She was just saying it to see what he would say. She knew where his heart would always be.

"You know, I'm a little disappointed your father left me and you guys for… this." She looked around the office, "It's nice and all but… must be pretty lonely." She admitted as Punk nodded.

"Yeah, it is but… it's almost addicting." Punk admitted.

"I'm glad you enjoy it." Kerry said. She just wanted to see him happy of course.

"Well sometimes it's frustrating." Punk said, "But it pays off I guess. It's rewarding." He nodded.

"Well you were always smart." Kerry nodded, "But I'm really hungry so hurry up." She said as Punk nodded, logging off the computer and locking up the office before leaving to go for lunch.

* * *

They went across the street to the deli he normally met Dean at some days. It was also a bonus getting to see his brother more often. AJ however, he had stayed away from as she requested.

"It's going to be nice having you for Christmas this year." Kerry smiled as Punk nodded and then paused a little.

"Doesn't AJ come see you on Christmas?" Punk asked as Kerry nodded.

"Well maybe for one day you can both… put your differences aside-"

"I don't have differences. She's the one being awkward and mad." Punk said, "I want to talk with her but she doesn't let me."

"Because you hurt and she needs time." Kerry said as she had done many of times, "And actually, April is in the stages of moving to a bigger apartment and she's gonna… take Alba to stay with her. So you could come around in the morning if it really is such a big deal." She said.

"Why is she taking Alba? Have you guys talked about it?" Punk asked.

"Yeah, we've talked about it, I knew this wasn't forever. It wasn't like we agreed Alba would stay with me always. It was a temporary solution for AJ to… get healthy. And she has. Now she wants to take her into full-care." Kerry nodded, "I think she'll be fine. She's a great mom." She said as Punk nodded.

"I don't doubt it." Punk said, "She's moving now?"

"She's seen an apartment that she likes in the city. Two bedroom, reasonable price, she's been back and forth with the land lady so I assume she'll get it." Kerry nodded.

"You'll miss her." Punk said, "Alba I mean." He said as Kerry nodded.

"Oh, yeah. Of course I will. She was with me since she was… just 5 weeks old." Kerry said, "But I'm really happy for AJ. I know how much confidence it must take for her to make this step and I'm… I'm really proud of her." Kerry said as Punk just nodded, "You know I really hate it that you two can't even be friends." She shook her head, "And I've tried to talk to her, tried to get through to her but she's just so adamant."

"I should have saw it coming." Punk said, "She was always a blunt person and I did her wrong. She was happy. For the first time in so long. She told me that herself. She spent her entire upbringing taking care of her mom. When she came to us she… she started to live. And then I left. I know it was wrong. I see it from her point of view and I hate myself." He nodded.

"And you've apologised and done everything you possibly could. It's… it's up to her now." Kerry said as Punk nodded, "Do you still love her?" She asked.

"Of course I do." Punk sighed, "It's not like I just… left and forgot she existed-"

"I think she thinks that's what you did." Kerry nodded, "She thinks you just left, easily, and didn't care about her. Which I can understand why she would think that." She said.

"Well I explained to her that wasn't the case. It's not my fault if she doesn't believe me. I've sent her flowers. I even sent her kid a little… giraffe thing." Punk shook his head.

"She has a name, Phil." Kerry tutted.

"Alba." Punk said, "I sent Alba a gift." Punk said.

"Well, she likes giraffes so… that was good thinking." Kerry smiled, "I wish you could see her. I don't know why she's being so fussy about you not seeing Alba."

"I don't know either." Punk said, "I don't think she even knows." He said.

"She's still figuring a lot out. Yeah, she's doing very well with her job and possibly a new place, taking Alba back into full care but… she's still got a lot to get through, a lot to overcome." Kerry said.

"I know that." Punk sighed, "I wish I was there for her when she was in hospital. That gets to me the most. Knowing she needed me. I never would have left if I knew that's where things were heading."

"Well you didn't know anything." Kerry nodded, "It was difficult." She said, "Seeing her that way. So unhappy and not herself. She came home, left the college in the city, and I took care of her for a few months. She reapplied for the local college next to us and went there when she felt ready." She said as Punk nodded, "She's definitely got a good balance now. That was the hardest part, trying to find what works." She said.

"Yeah, Dean said." Punk nodded, "So she's on medication?"

"Yeah, medication and therapy." Kerry said as Punk nodded.

"She should be proud of herself." Punk said as Kerry nodded.

"Yeah, I think so." Kerry said, "Ok, I'm treating you to this-"

"Ma, no way." Punk shook his head.

"No, I am. You always pay." She said, giving him a stern look that he'd known all his life as a serious face not to talk back to.

"Ok." Punk laughed a little.

* * *

"I brought take-out!" Punk called, walking into Dean and Renee's apartment where he saw Dean sitting on the floor with Alba in the basket of his legs watching TV, "Uh…" Punk closed the door behind him and looked over, "What is she doing here?" Punk shook his head as Dean turned around.

"She has a name." Dean said, "I babysit on Saturdays. You knew that." He said.

"So why'd you invite me around?" Punk asked, "You know AJ doesn't want me around her."

"Well AJ isn't here." Dean said slyly, "So go plate up the food and we can have a cute dinner for three." He said as Punk rolled his eyes and shook his head.

"She'll kill me if she finds out." Punk said as Dean stood up, leaving Alba on the floor sitting as she was too busy watching the program she was following with her eyes carefully.

"No, she'll kill me. And personally, I think it's a bit over the top. She's one. You being around her makes no difference to anyone's life." Dean shook his head, "Seriously, I'm hungry. Go put the food out." He nodded as Punk sighed and walked through to the kitchen whilst Alba turned around to Dean, "What is it?" Dean asked her as Alba tilted her head, "What?" He smiled, picking her up, "You hungry? Is that it?" He asked her.

"Ba! Ba… ba! Bab!" Alba muttered whilst tapping his face.

"That's a good story." Dean hummed, walking through to the kitchen with her.

"So where is Renee?" Punk asked whilst Dean put Alba in her high chair.

"Working late." Dean said.

"Do you really have her every Saturday?" Punk asked, taking the food over to the table, sitting the plates down whilst Alba looked at him. She liked looking at him, so much so that she stretched herself around on her high chair to see where he was going behind her.

"Yeah, unless I really can't." Dean nodded, "I like it. She's no bother." He shrugged, "Hey, stop being nosey." Dean told her, "I can't get your straps in." He said, putting her little arms through the straps whilst Punk came and sat down at the table.

"What is she having?" Punk asked.

"Some of this." Dean said, "I'll fix her up a bit of everything." He said as Punk just nodded, "Have you seen AJ recently?" He asked, making up a little plate for Alba to have her dinner.

"No, not in a few weeks since I saw her at moms." Punk said, "She made herself clear. I won't bother her." He shrugged.

"That's bullshit." Dean shook his head, "She's so damn stubborn. I know what she's like. She thinks that if she forgives you or even talks to you then she's caving in. She's mad because she expects herself to be mad but… I know deep down she isn't." Dean said, "Here, you wanna feed yourself?" Dean asked Alba, sitting the plate on her high chair, giving her the plastic fork as Alba took it from him.

Punk watched her use the fork to get some rice, putting it in her mouth one grain at a time.

"We'll be here a while." Punk laughed a little as Dean nodded.

"She normally eats fast." Dean said, "Wait, pass me that bib over." He pointed as Punk reached over and handed it to him.

"You're quite the uncle." Punk laughed a little. He wouldn't know where to start if he had to take care of a baby.

"Hey, I like to give her back after one night." Dean assured him, putting the bib on Alba so she didn't spill anything, which she normally does.

"I'm over trying to understand AJ. I mean, it's not that I don't understand her. I do. I know she's hurt. Everything she's been through and I wasn't there. But it's been such a long time. And it's not like I walked out of a marriage with her. Or I cheated on her and left."

"Yeah but she's still not thrilled with what you done." Dean said, "I think what hurt her was you leaving so easily. I think if you gave her an explanation at the time. If you sat her down and told her this was what you wanted to do then… maybe she would have been ok." Dean nodded.

"Yeah, I know." Punk sighed, "I would do everything differently trust me." He nodded.

"Did you come back thinking you'd get back together?" Dean asked him.

"I mean… a think a part of me wanted that yeah. But I knew she'd be mad. I know her nature. She holds grudges. And… the way she lost her mom, and then me, she probably doesn't wanna get close to anyone else ever again." He shook his head.

"Yeah she's… never really made other friends or… had a boyfriend." Dean agreed with him.

"I don't want her to live her life that way because of what I did. That kills me." Punk sighed as Dean nodded, turning to Alba who was digging into her dinner, "She's hungry."

"Yeah well… you were a little late." Dean said with raised brows.

"Well I didn't know I was accommodating a baby." Punk said, "She's like… AJ's image." Punk shook his head.

"Yeah, it's scary. Even when she was just born she looked like her." Dean nodded.

Alba continued to feed herself her own dinner, when she got fed up with her own fork and wanted someone else's. She dropped hers on the floor and reached out to Punk's hand, tapping it where his fork was in as Punk laughed a little.

"No, babies can't have big forks." Punk told her, "You have a nice… pink and blue one." He said, handing her back her plastic one as Alba took it from him as she began using it again. He smiled to himself and shook his head. She was extremely cute.

* * *

They finished up eating dinner and it seemed like immediately that Alba needed her diaper changed. Dean got up, taking her out of the high chair when he heard the door go.

"Shit, that'll be the rent." Dean said, "Take her." He nodded, passing Alba over as Punk shook his head immediately, "Take her, Phil. She's not a bomb." He shook his head, "And go change her. I needa talk to Larry about the toilet in here it keeps leaking." He said.

"I don't know how to change a diaper." Punk screwed his face up, standing up.

"Well then go learn." Dean said as Punk took Alba from him as he rushed away out of the kitchen.

Punk looked on at Alba, holding her under her arms like she really was a bomb. She stared at him with a little confusion, wondering why he was holding her out so funnily.

He sucked it up and held her against him properly, walking on out of the kitchen and through to the bedroom where her changing mat was lying on the bed. He lay her down on it and put his hands on his hips, wondering what to do next whilst Alba looked at him.

"I know you're used to people with the experience, I get it." Punk spoke to her as he looked around the room for diapers and other things he assumed he would need, "I know I wouldn't be your first pick but… you know, gotta do what we gotta do." He spoke, finding what seemed to be a diaper bag thankfully, "Ah, ok." He said triumphantly.

"So I don't really know what you're supposed to call me." Punk admitted whilst he began to change her diaper, "Because you can't call me uncle. That's like… super weird." He said, talking to her as though she was an adult, "That would be like… I dated your sister. And that's weird." He cringed a little.

"You don't say much." Punk said, looking down at her as she just seemed to be looking around whilst he changed her, "When you gonna start speaking? Huh?" He asked, putting the new diaper on her once he had cleaned her up, "So you just… stick it like that?" He spoke to himself, "That looks about right." He nodded to himself, "Hey, look at that. Both of us are still alive. We made it." Punk said in a funny voice as Alba laughed, which made him smile.

He tidied away the diaper bag and sat it over, lifting her up once he got her bottoms back on, "You're kinda cute." Punk nodded, picking her up from the changing mat.

Being a tired one year old, she was thankful to have any shoulder to rest her head on, but his looked extra comfy. Punk watched as she leaned her head on him, relaxing her little body against him. It melted him completely and he knew if this little girl ever needed anything, he'd be there.

Dean watched from the gap at the door and smiled to himself, walking on by into the perfectly working toilet.


	37. Struggle

**Struggle**

* * *

"Look what I got?" AJ smiled, dangling a set of keys in front of Dean's face as Dean looked over.

"Is that keys for your new place?" Dean smiled.

"Yeah." AJ nodded, "I'm so excited." She shook her head, "I never thought I'd be able to save."

"How did you do it so fast?" Dean chuckled.

"I just… didn't spend any money all month." She said, "I had a lot saved already anyway." She nodded, "So it wasn't actually a lot I had to save up to meet the rent." She nodded.

"Are you gonna be able to pay rent every month? Without having to substitute eating dinner? I don't want you doing any of that stuff. That's how you end up ill." Dean told her.

"No, I'll have it covered. Any if it's tight then I'll do a couple hours over time at the agency." She shrugged as Dean nodded.

"As long as you won't be struggling." Dean said as AJ shook her head.

"No, I'll be fine." AJ smiled, "How was my little baby? Where is she?" AJ asked.

"She's napping in her crib in my room." Dean said, "She was great, as usual. Slept right through. I actually gave her the medicine for her teeth before she went to sleep, even though she wasn't crying. That seemed to soothe her." He said as AJ nodded.

"You'd make quite the dad." AJ smiled. Dean was great with Alba and she loved to see him with her.

"That's what Phil was saying." Dean rolled his eyes as AJ looked over at him.

"Phil was here?" She questioned as Dean turned away from her and cringed.

"No." Dean scoffed.

"Dean." AJ folded her arms.

"Yes, he was here. He came over for dinner and… I forgot you had your weird rules about Alba not seeing him, which by the way, I think is pretty ridiculous." Dean said, "You know he wouldn't do anything to hurt her so why are you making it so hard for him?"

"She has nothing to do with him and neither do I. That's why. If he's in Alba's life then he's in mine and I-I can't… I don't want that-"

"Yeah you do." Dean said, "You still love him. He still loves you. You're both the most frustrating people in the world." He shook his head.

"Alba is my daughter. Any decisions I make regarding her, stay. I don't care what you think. This is how I feel. For once I'm putting my feelings first." She shook her head.

"I know you're upset. I know. I lived it with you. Don't you think I was mad when he left? I've known the guy since I was born. I grew up with him. But I forgave him, because it's what you do with the people you love-"

"I don't love him anymore. It's different with us. He was my boyfriend. He didn't give me any notice. He was telling me the night before how much he loved me, how excited he was for a future. That gave me false hope. That made him leaving even more painful because I felt used." She said, "I don't care how much he wants to apologise. Nothing is ever gonna change."

"I'm just sad that you're not being honest with yourself." Dean said, "I know you still love him. You're just trying not to let yourself down and give into him. You won't even hear him out-"

"I've heard him out twice and I still can't find it in me to forgive him. It's too much. I wanted to end my life and where was he? In an office with his feet up making thousands of dollars?" AJ questioned, "No. Don't make me feel bad about not forgiving him." She warned him.

"I'm not. I know you had it rough, but to give him some fairness, he didn't know about any of that. And I believe if someone told him what was going on, he would have been on a flight home to see you. I know my brother." He said.

"No he wouldn't have." AJ shook her head, "He didn't care. Just like he didn't care when he left. He's just like your dad-"

"You met my dad once, twice… you didn't know him." Dean said, "Phil is not like our father." He said.

"Don't fight with me on this." AJ sighed, "I fight enough with Kerry about it. I just want him to stay out of my life. I'm doing fine on my own-"

"No one is saying you aren't. But I know you April. And I know what you and Phil had was special. Do you not find it a little weird how in eight years neither of you have moved on? Neither of you have found someone else?" Dean asked, "Neither of you have even tried to date. Because you're still hung up on each other."

"I've seen other people." AJ shrugged, "And I'm sure he has too."

"I'm not meaning one-night-stands." Dean rolled his eyes, "You're just torturing yourself. You don't wanna wake up one day, in a few years, and wish you gave him a chance or at least… be civil with each other."

"I'm not gonna feel like that." AJ shrugged, "I'm trying to look forward with my life. Not back." She said as Dean nodded.

"I'm just trying to help you." Dean said.

"No, you're telling me how to feel." AJ said, "Let me feel how I wanna feel." She said, "Let me be mad at him. I'm allowed to." She said as Dean just nodded. Of course he was trying to preach for his brother's case but he knew what AJ had gone through was not easy at all.

"I know. You are." Dean agreed, "I just know how much you love him." He shrugged.

"Loved." AJ said, "I'm gonna go put Alba in her stroller." She said, beginning to walk away.

"He was good with her." Dean said, "She likes him." He nodded as AJ looked at him.

"She doesn't know him." AJ shook her head, walking away as Dean sighed.

* * *

A week later and AJ had moved into her new apartment in the city. She'd spent a crazy week decorating and moving things in with the help from Dean and Kerry of course.

Kerry found it hard having to say her goodbyes to Alba. Not that she wasn't going to see her again, but she knew she'd have to get used to her not being around as much, but she was very happy for AJ making a big step in her life. She agreed with AJ to keep the nursery in her house for times that Alba came to stay.

AJ was proud of her new apartment. It gave her a sense of accomplishment and she was glad she could now give her daughter more of a home. Over the course of the week she had been thinking about what Dean was saying to her. She knew he meant well but she felt like it would impossible for her to trust anyone let alone Punk again. She was scarred by how abrupt he left and what emotional turmoil happened after. She was scared to give into her emotions and decided to be strong instead. She knew that strength sometimes looked like stubbornness or harshness but she felt like she had a right to feel the way she did. She knew she had a right to feel the way she did.

"Look, mama brought all your giraffes here." AJ said, walking into the nursery in the new apartment, holding Alba who was ready for bed, "See them all, look." AJ pointed, showing Alba her giraffes lined up on the shelf as well as the window frame, "You have so many, baba." She said, patting her back softly as Alba tiredly looked around.

She walked over to the crib in the corner of the room and placed Alba down in it, placing the blanket over her, watching as she chewed on the ear of the giraffe which Punk had sent.

"Out of all the giraffes you have, that one is your favourite?" AJ raised a brow whilst Alba kicked her blanket around, "You don't really like him, do you?" AJ sighed, "If I hate him then you have to hate him." She said, leaning over the crib as Alba lay tiredly, "But I don't hate him, do I?" She sighed, stroking her cheek softly, "Close your eyes." She whispered softly.

She waited for Alba to fall asleep before tucking the blanket over her properly, sitting the giraffe beside her before leaving the room. It gave her a good feeling to take this big step, moving into a new place, taking full care of her daughter. It had been a long journey for her but she felt like she was on the right path.

She left Alba's room, turning the light off and closing the door over a little just as there was a knock at the door.

She walked over and opened up the door to a fairly large, tall man standing at the door, "Hi." AJ whispered softly.

"Hi." The man said loudly.

"Uh… what? What is it? Who are you?" AJ questioned.

"I'm your rent guy. Bill Stevenson. Everyone calls me Steves." He said loudly.

"Shh, I have a baby sleeping." AJ said to the extremely loud man.

"Rent is due at the end of each month." He said, not lowering his voice any, handing her over a piece of paper, "I gave a one day extension, if it's late by one day, you're out. And I mean it. I will toss every piece of furniture you have in there out the window." He said as AJ looked up at him and gulped.

"How much every month?" AJ questioned, looking at the piece of paper.

"Right there." Steves pointed on the paper as AJ looked at the money she didn't remember agreeing to.

"This wasn't the price I was told." AJ said, realising that it really would be a tight struggle to pay that every month.

"Well that's the rent. Every month. I might give you two days extension since you're pretty." He smiled as AJ looked up at the creepy man and shook her head, "After that, you're out on your ass. With your baby." He said, cold-heartedly as AJ just looked at the price, looking back at the scary, butch man and nodding.

"Right." AJ nodded.

"Have a nice night." He waved to her, walking away as AJ closed the door over, leaning against it and running her hand through her hair. She wouldn't deny she was a little worried.


	38. Nowhere To Go

**Nowhere To Go**

* * *

"Hey Lou, could I talk to you for a quick second?" AJ asked as she chased her boss down the rows of offices, even though she knew he wasn't listening to her, "Lou." She said again.

"Hi, what?" Lou turned around.

"Hi." AJ said as Lou looked at her with confusion, "April." AJ nodded, placing her hand on her chest.

"Yeah, right." Lou nodded, "What? What's wrong?" Lou asked, a busy, fast-paced man who never sat for a second.

"I was wondering if you could give me overtime this week. I could do with the money and… extra experience always helps." She smiled.

"I don't give overtime." Lou shook his head, beginning to walk fast-paced again as AJ followed him like a lost puppy.

"Even just a few hours, it would mean a lot to me." AJ said, "Please." She begged, feeling like an idiot for doing so.

"Avril." Lou paused and turned around to her.

"April." AJ corrected.

"Right." Lou nodded, "I don't give overtime to anyone unless they're published and are meeting a deadline. You aren't published, you aren't meeting a deadline, no overtime." He said, levelling his hands back and forth, "See how it works?" He spoke to her like she was stupid as AJ glared at him.

"I don't mind staying back and doing paper work or any jobs you need doing." AJ said, "Please, I wouldn't ask if I wasn't desperate." She said.

"No. I'm sorry, Avril." Lou shook his head, walking off down the corridor as AJ placed her hand on her forehead and sighed to herself. She thought she would get overtime no problem until she had a discussion with another worker who had asked and been rejected. She was really beginning to panic now as she knew without overtime she wouldn't have enough to cover rent.

* * *

"You're greedy this month." Ted walked into Punk's office, throwing down his wage slip as Punk picked it up and looked at it.

"It's called moving numbers, Ted." Punk waved the wage slip, "Can't take it to the grave, can you?" He shrugged.

"No, that's why you spend it all whilst you're still alive. On houses and nice jewellery for your wife." Ted said.

"One house will do me and I don't have a wife." Punk said, "So it looks like… I'm saving." He said, sitting behind his desk and looking at his computer, "Why are you here?" He asked.

"Just checking in." Ted said, "How's things going with your dad's case? You been looking through his diary?" He asked.

"Yeah." Punk nodded, "He was out of town the week before he was killed. I'm guessing that's when someone got into his office for the details to start moving money, right?" Punk said as Ted nodded, "And who is Laura? Do you know anyone called Laura who worked with him?"

"Laura…" Ted thought to himself, "Well he had a secretary called Laura but… she just filed his paper work, got him coffee, things like that. She wouldn't have known anything." Ted said.

"She's in this diary a lot. My dad was super lazy and barely did anything himself. This girl Laura did it all. They must have been close." Punk nodded, "I know she doesn't work here anymore. Do you think you could find me her address or a new work place for her? I wanna talk with her." Punk said.

"Yeah, I could try." Ted nodded, "You think she might have saw something?"

"Maybe, I don't know. It's worth a shot talking to her. The police didn't." Punk said as Ted nodded.

"I'll find her whereabouts for you." Ted nodded.

"Thanks." Punk said.

"How is it being back at home?" Ted asked him.

"It's good now I'm settled in. Getting to see my mom and brother is a huge bonus. I… I really missed them. Didn't realise how much until I saw them again." He admitted as Ted smiled.

"What about the ex?" Ted asked.

"Nothing has changed there." Punk said, "I'm just staying away." He shook his head.

"Best thing to do in that situation." Ted nodded, "Stay away from the drama. Trust me. I've learned my lesson many times." He said as Punk nodded.

"I'm keeping my head down." Punk nodded.

"Good." Ted said, "I'm email you about Laura within the next few days. I was just in to check the stats. Keep up the good work." He nodded.

"Thank you." Punk saluted him, watching as he left his office.

* * *

A few weeks later, AJ had her first rent payment due. She was extremely short for money and was extremely terrified as she'd already gone past the extended two days that she was given. She couldn't face asking Dean or Kerry for money, because she knew they would immediately worry about her, especially when this was the first pay.

She had no idea what she was supposed to do. She locked the door, thinking to herself what difference would that really make? Steves was a huge man. A terrifying man. She knew when he said he would toss her things out of the window, he really meant it.

She was frantic with worry, pacing up and down in the living room when she heard banging on the door.

"April, time for rent!" Steves banged as AJ placed her hand over her mouth. She'd never felt so much fear and failure before. She had no idea what to do. Her natural instinct was to run, but she knew it wasn't just her in the apartment.

"April!" Steves yelled louder, "You better have the money." He hummed as AJ picked Alba up from the floor where she was playing with her toys, running over to the fire escape and pushing the window up.

It wasn't until she was climbing down the stairs, one hand on the railing, the other supporting around Alba, that she realised it was pouring rain outside and neither her, nor Alba had jackets.

She placed her hand over Alba's head, keeping her tucked into her chest as she headed down the street at fast pace. She wasn't sure what was going to happen. Was she really going to be evicted after one month? This wasn't how she planned any of this.

She wasn't sure where she was walking to. She was terrified of going to Kerry and Dean because she knew they would convince her to take a step back. And maybe that's what she needed to do. But admitting that felt embarrassing. She was trying so hard to be a good mom, work her job, provide good stability and a good home for her daughter, but it was just so hard.

"It's ok, baby. We'll be fine." AJ nodded, her hair dripping at this point, her arms soaking, her jeans wet through to her legs, but all she cared about was making sure Alba was ok and getting her somewhere dry. She wasn't sure if Steves was going to burst through the door, or if he'd suspect she wasn't in yet, she just knew she couldn't be there.

As she was rushing down the street, pushing by people giving her death stares for having a baby out in this weather condition without so much as a jacket on, she began to hear her name being called.

She thought she was just taking a slight episode, and continued to power through, not even considering where she could go, when she heard her name being called getting closer. She turned around and saw Punk behind her.

"I thought that was you." He said, holding his jacket over his head, "What the hell are you doing out here like this?" Punk asked, "Here." He put his jacket over Alba as AJ grabbed it for her, not having a choice, "April, what's going on?"

"I-I need to go." She shook her head.

"You're soaking." Punk said, equally getting soaked now that his jacket had gone to better use for the one-year-old, "My place is literally around that corner, you can come and wait for this to go off." He said as AJ shook her head, "AJ, you don't even have a jacket on. I'm not giving you a choice, come on." He nodded as AJ looked up at him.

In a street, so busy like it was, seeing his face was the biggest wave of relief ever and she hated herself for feeling that way. She hated her feelings. But seeing him made her feel just that little bit more at ease, and she knew she had to get out of the rain, if not for her then for Alba.

"Ok." AJ nodded.

"Alright." Punk said, walking down the street with her, turning the corner and heading into the apartment ground floor.

"You live here?" AJ shook her head. All she knew was these were the apartments everyone dreamed about living in.

"Uh… yeah." Punk nodded, "Come on." He said, getting into the elevator as AJ followed.

"How did you see me?" AJ asked quietly.

"I came out the doors at work and you… whizzed by me." Punk shook his head, "I'm sure you got a good explanation as to why you're dressed like it's Summer out in the rain." He said as AJ just stayed quiet.

She hated that this had been her only option, but still she was grateful that she had an option.

The elevator stopped and AJ stepped out of it first, passing a woman who was waiting, dressed head to toe in designer, staring at her like she was some sort of foreign object.

"What?!" AJ snapped at the woman who had a disapproving look for AJ's wet hair and squelching shoes.

"Ok, just keep… walking." Punk nodded.

"So you live with all the snobs now?" AJ asked, "That's a real shame."

"She's actually a nice woman." Punk said, getting his keys out.

"Nice to you because you're rich. You saw the way she just looked at me." AJ said as Punk shook his head.

"That's because you're soaking. She'd look at anyone that way if they were soaking wet." Punk said, opening up the door, "Go in." He nodded as AJ walked into the apartment, pausing for a second as she looked around at it, looking down at Alba who was resting against her chest.

"Nice place." AJ said quietly as Punk sat his things over.

"You need to get dried or you'll catch a cold." Punk said as AJ turned around to him, "Go take a seat on the couch. I'll be back in a minute." He told her as she walked on over to the living room, looking out the huge glass windows which looked on at the city which was being battered with rain.

"I'm so sorry I made you all wet, baby." AJ sighed, kissing Alba's head softly, "I'm so sorry." She shook her head. She felt irresponsible and like the world's worst mother, but she wasn't sure what else she was supposed to do in the state of panic she was in.

"I said take a seat." Punk came back through to the living room with some towels.

"I'm soaking and those look expensive." She said, looking at the couches.

"Well then a better idea, go into one of the bedrooms and get yourself and her dried off." He nodded, "Use the bathroom. If you want you can put your clothes on the radiator and just-"

"Just what? Walk around naked?" She questioned.

"I was gonna say I could give you a t-shirt and some shorts." He said as AJ nodded, "I'm sure they'll be too big for you but you can't walk around in those wet clothes." He shook his head, "Where were you even going?" He shook his head. He was confused as to why she looked so frantic and why she was out with Alba carrying her instead of having her in her stroller, and why she didn't even have a jacket on.

"I'll go get dried." AJ nodded, taking the towels from him, avoiding the question.

"First room on the left. Help yourself to the clothes." He said as AJ nodded, walking by him and down to the room he'd directed her to, wondering if this was really the best place for her stop.

* * *

 **A/N: More to come...**


	39. Safe Place

**Safe Place**

* * *

AJ disappeared into the room Punk had directed her to with Alba still in her arms. She couldn't disguise her embarrassment if she tried. To end up here, of all places, in the situation she was in. She felt so disappointed in herself.

She walked into the bedroom which was massive, she even paused for a second as she looked on at it. She placed Alba on the bed, wrapping a towel around her and drying her. She wasn't as wet as her which she was glad of.

"Here we go." AJ smiled, drying Alba gently as the baby girl looked at her. She was such a good baby no matter what. She never got distressed as long as she was with someone she knew and trusted. AJ felt blessed by that.

"There, all dry." AJ said, bopping Alba's nose lightly with the towel as Alba giggled, "Now mommy has to get dried." She said, standing up straight.

She got a t-shirt out of the drawer as well as a pair of boxer shorts, knowing fine well they would be drowning her, but she couldn't stay in her wet clothes.

She stripped off, drying herself as best she could whilst changing into the dry clothes. She then put the wet clothes over on the radiator and lifted up Alba. She didn't even want to go back and face him. She didn't want to tell him why she was out in the rain so frantically running away from her rent man. She couldn't say that to him whilst he lived in such a place like this. But somehow she knew he would be the last person to judge her.

She walked out of the bedroom, closing the door over and walking back into the living room area where Punk was sitting.

"I'll just let it dry for a few minutes." AJ said as Punk looked up and across at her. Even in his oversized clothes, with wet hair she was the most beautiful person he would ever know.

"No, just let it dry fully. Plus, the rain isn't stopping. You can't go back out in that." He looked at the window as AJ turned around and nodded, "Have you ate?" Punk asked her.

"Yeah." AJ nodded as Punk looked over at her.

He could see she wasn't mad with anymore only because her mind was focused on something else, and he was a little worried as to what she had been so frantically running from.

"Come sit down. I don't bite." He shook his head.

"I really don't want to be here." AJ admitted, walking over to the couch, sitting down with Alba on her lap whilst Punk looked across at her.

"Well fine, go back into the rain." Punk shrugged, "I'm not forcing you to be here." He said. And he wasn't. He was trying to do something good.

"I'll be gone when it stops." AJ looked across at him, "Only because of Alba." She assured him. If she hadn't had Alba with her, she would have stayed out in the rain.

"Where were you even going?" Punk shook his head as AJ looked across at him, letting Alba play with her hands, looking down at the baby girl to avoid looking at him.

"You really wanna know?" AJ asked him.

"Well I'm sure you have a… a good explanation." Punk laughed a little.

"I was running away from the rent man in my block." AJ looked up at him, "Because I don't have enough and he would have probably thrown me out." AJ said, "I already used my two days extension. He usually gives one but he gave me two because he thinks I'm pretty." AJ said as Punk looked across at her, "Laugh if you want. I would too."

"I'm not… gonna laugh." Punk said, "My mom said you were set, that it was a reasonable price." He shook his head.

"I was looking at a different price. It's more than I get paid." She shook her head as Punk looked across at her, "I thought I was doing good. I was on my own with Alba. I was proud of the apartment." She shook her head, "But just like everything else… it's just a disaster." She shook her head as Punk sighed.

"I'm sorry it's not worked out for you." He shook his head, "If it's money you need, I can help." Punk nodded, "Let me help you."

"No. I'm not your charity case." AJ said.

"I didn't say you were." Punk said.

"Well you giving me money feels like it is." AJ said, "No, I just… I don't know what I'm gonna do. Move in with your mom probably." She rolled her eyes.

"Why didn't you tell her that you were struggling?" Punk asked.

"I wanted her to be proud of me. I wanted her to think wow… AJ's really doing good for herself. She really doesn't need anyone else." AJ nodded as Punk shook his head.

"She's proud of you anyway, regardless of you having your own place or not." Punk made clear.

"I wanted to do it for me too." AJ said quietly, "It felt so good… moving in." She shook her head, "Like I was actually being a good mom-"

"Hey you are a good mom-"

"No I'm not." AJ laughed, "I left her when she was weeks old in the apartment herself." AJ said, "I am not a good mom."

"You weren't well then." Punk said, "You're great. She loves you. Anyone can see that." He said, looking at Alba who was resting against AJ tiredly whilst playing with her hands.

"I loved my mom. Didn't mean I thought she was a good mom." AJ said as Punk shook his head.

"You aren't your mom, April." Punk said as AJ sighed.

"I feel like it." She shook her head, "You said so."

"I didn't mean that. You know I didn't." He shook his head, "You're a great mom." He nodded as she looked across at him.

Times like this she was desperately trying to avoid because it was these moments where she saw him for him. That boy she fell so deeply in love with. His kindness. His belief in her to be a better version of herself. Belief that she didn't even have. This was the exact thing she was trying to avoid. Avoiding him meant avoiding her reality. That she still absolutely loved him.

"She's falling asleep." Punk smiled a little as he looked on at Alba's eyes getting heavy, resting back against her mother. He then watched as AJ turned around and looked out the window at the pouring rain, "Put her down in the room." He nodded.

"Oh, no… it's… it's fine." AJ nodded.

"She'll be comfier." Punk said, "Seriously, just go put her down." He nodded as AJ looked at him. She knew it made sense. She wanted Alba to be comfy and warm and he was offering that.

"Ok." AJ nodded, standing up and walking back to the bedroom as Punk watched her.

AJ walked into the bedroom and lay Alba down, putting the pillows around her so she wouldn't roll over and off the bed, "We're safe here, baby." AJ whispered. She knew that for sure.

She left the room and walked back into the living room. She was beside herself with embarrassment but somehow being with him made her feel a little better. She was trying so hard to remind herself of what he did, how he left her, the way he left her, but all she could think about was how that kind boy she fell in love with was still right there in front of her.

"Is she ok?" Punk asked her as AJ nodded.

"Yeah, she's asleep." AJ nodded, "Thank you for this. You didn't have to let us in." She said, "And I feel so stupid."

"Hey, it's fine. I wasn't gona let you stay out there. I was more concerned about the baby actually." He admitted as she just nodded.

"Right." AJ folded her arms, looking across at him.

An awkward silence filled the air for a few minutes. Neither knew what to say to each other. Punk knew that she was still mad with him, he figured she always would be, so he knew she was no doubt in a difficult position. AJ on the other hand just didn't know what to say to him. She'd banged on for weeks about how much she didn't want him around but when she needed someone the most, he seemed to be the one who appeared.

"You know you can crash here if you don't wanna wake her." Punk said, "And I don't think that rain is gonna stop any time soon." He admitted.

"No, I can't stay here." AJ shook her head.

"Why can't you?" Punk questioned, "Let me help you. You don't have to stop being mad at me but… just let me give you a hand." He shrugged, "It's the least I can do, I'm sure you'll agree." He said as AJ looked across at him.

"And then what? I have to go back to my apartment tomorrow morning and see all of my stuff is… thrown out the window." She shook her head.

"What?" Punk shook his head.

"Bill, the guy who takes the rent, he said if… if the rent isn't paid then he tosses everything out." She shook her head.

"He's not literally gonna throw your things out." Punk said, "Worst comes to worst I will… come back with you, make sure he doesn't give you any trouble-"

"This man is huge. He'd break you in half." AJ shook her head as Punk laughed a little.

"Well then you can get your things whilst he's breaking me in half." Punk nodded as AJ smiled a little, immediately frowning when she realised she was smiling with him. This wasn't the plan. This wasn't fair. He had caught her in a vulnerable moment and she was latching onto anything or anyone who was giving her comfort. Him especially. She hated this. She hated feeling weak.

"And then I have to go to your mom and tell her I failed after one month of being on my own with Alba." AJ nodded.

"Then let me give you money to give you a head start-"

"No." AJ said, "Look, I know you just give away money like it doesn't matter. I mean look at your place." She shook her head.

"I haven't forgot where I came from." Punk said.

"Yeah well I'm still there. And I can't even afford it." AJ said, "And my job isn't going anywhere positive." She collapsed down on the couch as Punk looked at her.

"You gotta stop being so hard on yourself, April." Punk sighed, sitting down across from her, "Look at all the things you have achieved. You graduated, you got a job, a good one, whether you think it's going well or not, you're getting there. You had a baby on your own. That's gotta be the hardest thing in the world. You've did all of that." Punk nodded as AJ looked across at him, "You should be really proud of yourself." He said.

AJ looked at him and sighed, "Stop being nice to me. It makes it harder to hate you." She grumbled, rolling her head back as Punk smiled.

"You can still hate me. I'd hate me too." He nodded as she looked across at him.

"I don't hate you." AJ shook her head, "I don't." She said, "I hate what you did to me. I hated the way you left me feeling. Like I was nothing to you."

"You were everything to me." Punk said, glad they were talking in quiet voices instead of yelling at one another.

"Then why would you leave? If I was everything to you then… then nothing else should have mattered." She shook her head.

"It's hard to explain." Punk shook his head.

"I think it's pretty easy. You… you wanted to escape. I do sometimes. I wanna take off to somewhere else and start a new life-"

"That's not what I wanted." Punk said, "I left to go… work for my dad's company-"

"Which you promised me you would never do." AJ said.

"Things changed-"

"And I never deserved to know? You kept your feelings from me? You knew you were going to leave and you still slept beside me every night and listened to me talk about our future." AJ said, "Do you know how stupid that made me feel?"

"I listened because I wanted to… still in believe in that life with you." Punk said.

"Instead went you running in the opposite direction." AJ said as Punk sighed, "Must be nice. Not having to worry about… money." She said as Punk looked at her.

"I worry about other things." Punk said as AJ looked across at him, "I'm sorry that you're going through this. I want to help you. You shouldn't be ashamed or embarrassed about this. You're doing the best you can and that's… that's always gonna be enough." He nodded as AJ shook her head.

"Is it?" AJ questioned, "I don't want Alba growing up the way I did. Having to parent me." She shook her head.

"She won't. You're even stronger than you were back then. I can see it. Maybe the illness made your mom weak but… it's made you stronger." Punk nodded as she looked at him, "And Alba is really lucky to have you." He said as AJ smiled softly.

She realised that once she took all her bitterness, all her anger away, it was just like being a teenager again. Listening to him talk, believing everything that came from his mouth, falling for every single one of his words and smiles. She hated it. She hated what he could do to her.

"Why don't you crash here for the night? I don't really want you going back to your apartment with that big guy there." He exaggerated, "And if you don't wanna go to my mom just now then… seriously, just stay here." He nodded, "It's not a big deal." He shook his head.

"I don't want to intrude." AJ said.

"On who? Me, myself and I?" Punk questioned, "That rain isn't stopping and your clothes won't be dry. Just… stop throwing excuses at me and stay." He nodded as AJ looked at him and sighed.

"You should hate me." AJ looked at him.

"Me?" Punk questioned.

"I've been so mad with you. I've been super aggressive." She said, "Even though I know I'm justified, I… I don't get why you're still… being nice." She shook her head.

"Because I care about you." Punk nodded, "I'm not lying when I say I thought about you every day for eight years." He said as she looked at him, "You can be mad at me, you're allowed to after what I did, but… the last thing I'm allowed to do is be mad at you." He shook his head, "I should have been there for you for everything. In hospital, before and after." He said, "That's gonna stay with me forever." He said, "Knowing I wasn't there for you."

"I really needed you." AJ nodded, her eyes filling as Punk sighed, running his hand through his hair, "It's all I wanted." She shook her head.

"I'm sorry." Punk sighed as she quickly dried her tears.

"It's over now." AJ shook her head as Punk looked across at her, "You're sure I can crash here?" She asked him. She realised she didn't really have a choice. The rain was battering down, she didn't know where else to go and she had a sleeping baby she really didn't want to disturb.

"Yes, of course I'm sure." Punk nodded.

"Ok." AJ stood up, "Well I'm gonna… I'll be away first thing in the morning." She nodded to him.

"Don't worry about it. Take your time." Punk said.

"Well thank you for this." She said as he nodded, watching her walk away down the hall.

It was nice to talk to her and not feel like the walls were gonna cave in around them. He didn't have any agenda. He just wanted to help her. He could see she was struggling and all he wanted to do was help. Not just because of his guilt from what he did, leaving the way he did, but because he was still absolutely in love with her.

* * *

Punk got up and headed into the kitchen to make himself dinner which he hadn't had yet. Once he'd ate something he figured he would take an early night too.

He locked up and walked down the hall, the rain still battering down outside, the sound relaxing enough to fall asleep to.

He paused at one of the spare bedrooms which he had directed AJ to, opening the door slightly as he saw her lying on top of the bed with Alba lying beside her.

They weren't under the covers and Punk knew AJ would have deliberately avoided getting under because it wasn't her apartment and she wouldn't have wanted to make any sort of mess. He knew what type of person she was.

He couldn't let them sleep with nothing over them, so he grabbed a blanket from a cupboard and walked on into the room, placing it over the both of them.

AJ was lying on her side, his t-shirt and shorts draping her completely, whilst Alba lay on her back close beside her. AJ's hand rested over Alba's, as if making sure she was safe, even when she was fast asleep. She was a terrific mother, the fact she thought otherwise was beyond him.

He made sure the blanket was covering them before leaving the room and watched as Alba wriggled a little so sweetly, making soft little baby noises as her arms went above her head.

He smiled, knowing it wouldn't take her much to win him over.

He then left the room, taking one final look back, sighing to himself sadly. He knew it was the life he could have had. The life he could have been happy with. The life he secretly wanted way more than a life working.

He definitely had his regrets but there was something about finding a way back to one another that he believed in. He just wasn't sure if too much had changed. If too much had been damaged.


	40. Back Home

**Back Home**

* * *

AJ woke up the next morning by Alba who was picking at her face and crawling all over her, deliberately trying to wake her up of course. She came to her senses and realised where they had stayed for the night.

"Morning." AJ whispered to Alba who was sitting up, "How'd you sleep?" AJ asked her as Alba grabbed her finger with her hand, "Good?" AJ nodded as Alba just babbled to herself.

She got off the bed, knowing fine well that she didn't put a blanket over them, smiling a little as she knew who must have come in and put it over them. She headed into the bathroom, grabbing her clothes from the radiator and changing back into them. She then heard Alba begin to cry, walking out of the bathroom and looking over at her.

As a mother, she instantly knew what certain cries meant, and she knew Alba needed changed just by how she was crying and holding herself.

"Oh, baby." AJ sighed, lifting her up, "I know, I… we'll go straight to Grandma's and get you changed." AJ sighed. She felt terrible as a mother for what had happened. She felt irresponsible and like she shouldn't have been allowed to take care of Alba on her own.

"I know I know." AJ patted Alba on the back softly as she cried sad tears, "I'm so sorry. Mommy is so sorry." She shook her head, walking out of the bedroom, about to head straight from the door when she noticed things lying on the couch.

She walked over and noticed the pack of diapers along with other necessary things she would need to change Alba. She also saw a jacket for her and Alba as well as a sweet little beanie hat with giraffes on it for Alba. She looked at the note sitting beside it.

 _I had to go to work. I figured these would be useful. Help yourself to breakfast. Phil_

She smiled and shook her head, picking up the pack of diapers and the other useful baby changing items and walked back into the bedroom to change Alba's diaper. She knew he was thoughtful, but she hated that in just a matter of a day, she already felt taken care of by him. She even felt like Alba was taken care of by him.

She quickly changed Alba, making sure everywhere was tidy how she found it. She put the jacket on Alba as well as the little beanie, but left the jacket for her before leaving the apartment quickly.

* * *

"April, why didn't you talk to me?" Kerry sighed, sliding her hand over the table and squeezing AJ's hand, sitting in the kitchen after AJ had shown up for the night to explain what was going on, "It's no problem for you to live here. I thought it was way more reasonable anyway." She said.

"I just wanted to… look like I had my shit together. But like always, I jumped head first and… it all went to shit." She shook her head, "I wanted to feel like I knew what I was doing for once."

"You wanted to show Phil you had your life sorted?" Kerry concluded as AJ looked at him.

"It's nothing to do with Phil." AJ said.

"It's everything to do with Phil. You jumped head first into all of this as soon as he showed up. You were comfortable with Alba staying with me, and you having your smaller apartment. That set-up worked." Kerry said.

"But I don't want my daughter growing up not in my care." AJ said, "It's nothing to do with Phil being here. It's to do with me, as a mom." She said, "But I guess I'm… not as good as I thought."

"Hey, you are an extremely good mother." Kerry said, "All of this you've done is because you want the best for her. That's it." She said, "So it didn't work out, it's not a crime to try. You can stay here with me, both of you, until you save up and find somewhere a little more affordable." She said, "Do not be embarrassed about this, April." She shook her head.

"I just wanted to do something for myself and for Alba. To show that I'm not just this… mentally ill, failed mother who can't even get overtime at her job." She rolled her eyes.

"That's not what you are." Kerry said, "You're so much more than that." She said as AJ sighed.

"Bill is giving me a few days to move my stuff out." AJ said, "He was surprisingly nice after I ran away from him last night." She shook her head.

"What do you mean you ran away from him?" Kerry shook her head.

"He was coming for the rent. I didn't have it obviously and I was scared of what he would do, if he was gonna throw me out then and there. I took Alba and I left through the fire escape-"

"Last night?" Kerry questioned, "There was a storm going on last night, where did you go? Did you go to Dean's?" She figured.

"I ended up… at Phil's." She rolled her eyes.

"Oh." Kerry widened her eyes a little.

"Not like that." AJ shook her head, "He was coming out of work and he saw me. He invited me in to wait on the rain going off. I had no choice. I had Alba." She said, "She then fell asleep and I put her down in one of his many rooms." She shook her head, "And we talked actually. We didn't scream. We talked." She nodded.

"Well that's good." Kerry smiled, "Do you feel better?"

"Actually I think I feel worse." She shook her head, "Because I do know how amazing he is, how kind and wonderful he can be, and then that makes me feel bad for… for being so stubborn but I can't forget what he did to me." AJ said, "Now it just seems confusing." She sighed as Kerry nodded.

"I can understand." Kerry nodded, "Of course you're always gonna remember what happened. Him leaving. But… you're right. He's the same person. I wanted you to realise that."

"And I don't want to get close to him because if he's the same person I… I'll end up…" She shook her head.

"Why are you afraid to love him?" Kerry shook her head.

"Because." AJ shrugged childishly, "Because one day he might just leave again. And I have a baby. He won't want that."

"Says who?" Kerry asked.

"I can't go there with him again." AJ shook her head, "Too much has happened." She said, drying her tears, "And I hate that I can't forgive him but I… I just can't. I can't risk getting close to him again and then watching him leave. I'm not putting myself through that again." She said as Kerry nodded.

"I know. I know you were devastated." Kerry said.

"Devastated?" AJ questioned, "My life started going South once he left." She shook her head, "And of course not blaming my mental breakdown on him. That was… destined to come at one point." She realised, "But maybe if he was there it… it would have been easier." She sighed.

"But do you want to wake up in ten years time and still be thinking about him?" Kerry sighed, "When he's right there in front of you right now, begging you for forgiveness." She said.

"Too much has happened." AJ shook her head.

"Did you stay the night at his?" Kerry asked as AJ nodded.

"Yeah." AJ nodded, "When I woke up he had left for work but he must have gone out and got diapers and… a jacket for both of us." She shook her head, "How would he even know what sort of things you need to change a diaper?" She shook her head.

"I'm pretty sure Dean told me he changed her the other night. He's good at remembering." Kerry said, "Is that where Alba got her new jacket and hat from?" She smiled a little as AJ nodded.

"Yeah." AJ smiled, "It's sweet. I didn't take mine. I already felt bad enough taking it for Alba." She sighed, "But I didn't want her to be cold or wet." She nodded.

"You know he wouldn't mind." Kerry sighed.

"Yeah I know." AJ nodded.

"You seem a little more relaxed about him." Kerry noticed, "Maybe talking to him. In a civil conversation, helped you." She shrugged.

"Or it's just made me more confused." AJ sighed, "I was so busy thinking about making myself look good, having life figured out, that I forgot he was always the one person who would judge me the least." She shook her head, "I'm not saying I did all this to show him I had my life under control. I did it for me, for Alba mostly… but… it just reminded me of how much I used to care about him." She sighed.

"Used to?" Kerry asked quietly as AJ looked across at her.

"I'm not gonna make a big deal about him being around Alba. If he's around her then… so be it." She said, "But I still don't think I can go there with him. It's too hard." She shook her head, "Buying me a jacket and giving me a bed for the night doesn't make up for… how he left me." She shook her head, "The way he left." She said, most importantly, "I'm not gonna be able to forgive him. I don't think." She said as Kerry nodded.

"Concentrate on you." Kerry nodded, understanding that she had to be in a difficult position, "Concentrate on you, on Alba, on your job. That's what matters to you." She said, "And you can stay here for as long as you need to." She said as AJ nodded and smiled.

"Thank you for being here." AJ nodded.

"I wish you just told me sooner that you were struggling." Kerry sighed as AJ nodded, "But you're both fine, that's the most important thing. And you living here means, you don't have to worry about dropping Alba off when you go to work. I'll be here." She nodded, "We'll take it slow."

"I should have just done that anyway instead of jumping the gun." AJ rolled her eyes.

"No, you were taking a step because you felt ready and there's nothing wrong with that." Kerry nodded, "It's incredibly brave and if it wasn't for the money issue you would have been just fine." She said as AJ smiled, "I'm proud of you no matter what."

"Thank you." AJ nodded, listening as she heard Alba from the baby monitor beside her, "She'll be waking up from her nap." She nodded.

"I'll get a start on dinner then." Kerry smiled, "She'll be hungry."

"Yeah, I'll go get her." AJ nodded, getting up from the table and leaving the kitchen.

She knew she'd jumped ahead of herself and she wasn't prepared to live in a bigger place, more so she couldn't' afford it. She wasn't embarrassed to say she tried, but she wished she had listened to Kerry before.

She knew her and Alba would be just fine living there, it just meant Phil coming back and forth to visit his mom might prove to be a little difficult.


	41. Remember

**Remember**

* * *

"Look at you with all those bubbles." AJ smiled crouched down by the bath tub whilst Alba sat in the shallow bubbly water, fascinated and in all her glory with the bubbles around her. She loved having a bath so much that she would cry up a storm when AJ lifted her out.

"Look, you can blow them." AJ said, gathering some in her hands and blowing them into little particles as Alba giggled loudly, "Is that funny?" AJ smiled, tickling under her chin, "Will I do it again?" She asked, getting some bubbles and blowing them again as Alba giggled.

"What's going on in here?" Kerry laughed a little as she walked into the bathroom.

"She loves the bubbles." AJ smiled, "Don't you?" She turned to Alba who was touching the bubbles and making an O shape with her mouth at the feeling, "She'll be screaming when I have to take her out soon."

"Of course she will." Kerry smiled, "I've laid out her pyjamas on your bed, clean diaper, all the good stuff." She said as AJ nodded and smiled.

"Thank you." AJ said. Since moving back in with Kerry, she did feel a lot better in terms of feeling healthy and steady. Having the extra help wasn't anything to be ashamed of, she knew that now. She appreciated the help Kerry gave her, even if it was just simply getting Alba's clothes ready, or changing a diaper whilst AJ was working in her room. She appreciated it so much.

"It's no problem." Kerry said, "I'll go down and put the coffee on. We can share that cake once you get her down."

"Sounds good." AJ smiled as Kerry left the bathroom, "Ok, baba… I know it's the worst time of the night for you, but we gotta get you out and dried." AJ nodded, standing up as Alba immediately looked worried already, "Come on." AJ stuck her hands out as Alba kept her hands down, "Hey, cheeky. Come on." AJ nodded, reaching down under Alba's arms, lifting her up from the bath as Alba immediately began to cry.

"Oh, I know. It's such a terrible, terrible life." AJ nodded, wrapping her up in the towel as Alba pointed back to the bath, "No, it's all done for tonight. You're all clean." AJ nodded as Alba whimpered sadly, looking up at her mother with those innocent brown eyes, the towel wrapped around her like an eskimo, "Don't give me those big innocent eyes." AJ shook her head as Alba continued to cry.

Meanwhile Kerry was downstairs fixing some coffee for her and AJ when she heard the door open and close, she peeped her head down the hallway and saw it was her eldest son.

"Hey." Kerry smiled.

"Hi." Punk nodded, "How are you?" He asked her.

"I'm good." Kerry nodded, "What about you? You just finished work?" She asked him.

"Yeah." Punk nodded.

"Have you ate? You want some dinner?" She asked motherly.

"I'm good, mom." Punk nodded, "I was actually dropping this off for April." He held the jacket up, "I bought it for her the other night, I… have no use for it so, if she doesn't want it then maybe you can take it." He shrugged as Kerry nodded, taking it from him, noticing the price and raising her eyebrows.

"It's a bit pricy, Phil." Kerry said.

"It was a quick grab. I was running late for work." Punk said, "She took the jacket and hat for Alba but left that so I don't know, maybe it was deliberate." He shrugged.

"Maybe." Kerry played along.

"Is that… Alba crying?" Punk wondered, he could hear crying upstairs, he assumed it was her of course.

"Yeah, she's like that every time you take her out the bath." Kerry nodded.

"How is AJ?" Punk asked her.

"She was a little down, having to move back here, but… you know, I think it's the right decision, and I think she knows that now. It means she can always be here for Alba and… money doesn't have to be an issue. She can focus on her job." Kerry said as Punk nodded, both of them listening as AJ headed downstairs with Alba in her arms.

"Kerry have you seen Alba's-" AJ paused as she walked into the kitchen and saw Punk standing, holding the jacket that he'd left for her, "Oh… hi." AJ nodded.

"Hey, you left this the other morning. I don't have use for it." He said.

"You can take it back and get the money. I… you already bought enough with the diapers and… Alba's things." She said.

"It's not a big deal." Punk said, "I'll leave it here." He said, sitting it on the kitchen table, looking over at Alba who was in her onesie, ready for bed, resting her forehead on AJ's shoulder as Punk smiled at her sweetness.

"What are you looking for, honey?" Kerry asked whilst AJ came out of her trance.

"Alba's pacifier." AJ shook her head, "I can't find it, I'm sure I sat it on the dresser in her nursery." She shook her head.

"This?" Punk noticed the pacifier sitting by the toaster on the kitchen counter, picking it up and extending it over to AJ who took it from him and nodded.

"Thank you." AJ said, "I'm gonna… put her down." AJ nodded, leaving the kitchen and heading back upstairs as Punk turned to his mom who was smiling.

"What?" Punk made a face.

"Oh, nothing. Just you two." Kerry shrugged, "It's like I'm raising teenagers again." She shook her head as Punk scoffed.

"She looks better." Punk nodded.

"I think she feels better here." Kerry said, "And I think the fact you two both talked instead of shouting at each other, really helped her. But now I think she's a little confused."

"About what?" Punk asked.

"About what she's supposed to feel. What she does feel." Kerry said, "She's mad at you, there's no doubt about that. But I think she loves you too much to stay mad forever." She shrugged.

"Oh, you think?" Punk laughed, "What are you? The witch doctor?" Punk asked.

"I know April. There's no one she gets madder with than her own self." Kerry nodded, "Just give it some more time." She said as Punk nodded.

"Yeah, well… I can't force her to feel anything she doesn't feel. And I… I don't even know what it is we're trying to establish either." He admitted.

"Well do you want to get back together?" Kerry questioned.

"Yeah, I would but… our lives have changed. I work five, sometimes six days a week. She's got a baby for crying out loud." He said, "What if… it was just convenient for us back then?" He asked.

"Now this is where I get to be your mom and tell you off." Kerry said, "Please don't ever tell her that you think it was just convenient back then. Because she will slap you so hard." She shook her head.

"I don't mean it like that… I'm saying our lives have changed now. What if it doesn't work?" Punk asked, "Why am I even considering this being a thing when she still hates my guts?" Punk said.

"She doesn't hate your guts." Kerry said, "Just give it time. And choose your words carefully. You're turning into Dean." She shook her head.

"What?" Punk shook his head.

"Saying all the wrong things at the wrong time." Kerry concluded, "Think before you say things." She said as Punk just nodded, "You know you can… feel free to buy me some… coats and… my purse is looking a bit faded too actually." She admitted as Punk just smiled and nodded.

"Yeah well Christmas is just around the corner." Punk said, "I'll see you later." He told her as she smiled and watched him leave.

* * *

" _Why aren't you applying for jobs?" AJ sighed, wrapping her arms around Punk from behind, kissing his shoulder as Punk sat on the edge of her bed._

" _I'm just waiting for the right time." Punk replied casually._

" _The right time is now." AJ whispered, tugging on his ear lobe, "Come on, it's got me all panicking." She said as he smiled._

" _Well don't panic. It'll be fine." He said as she sighed._

" _Is it because you're nervous?" She asked him._

" _It's because I wanna spend the Summer with you and not think about work." He turned around to her as she leaned back a little and smiled._

" _Well you can do that but… I just don't want you leaving it forever until you have no job, ever." She said._

" _I won't be claiming unemployment my entire life, don't worry about that." Punk laughed a little, kissing her softly, trailing his kiss down her neck and leaning her down on the bed._

" _Good, because I want to put my kids through college with no stress." She said as he kissed her neck and laughed a little._

" _All of them?" Punk asked._

" _All two or three of them. I haven't decided yet." She nodded, shutting her eyes and rolling her head back as he kissed down her neck, lifting her t-shirt off her head and unclasping her bra, kissing down her chest to her breasts, cupping them in his hands and using his mouth to and from each one, "Mmm, fuck." AJ moaned softly, feeling him dip his hand into her shorts and panties, parting her folds and stroking her clit in circles, "Yes, play with my clit." She bit her lip as Punk kissed back up to her lips, deepening the kiss._

 _He then pulled back, lifting his own t-shirt up whilst she pushed her shorts and panties fully down. She watched with desire as he pushed his sweats down along with his boxers, freeing his length as she immediately wrapped her hand around him, stroking him up and down whilst he leaned over her, placing his forehead against hers and moaning softly whilst she stroked him up and down._

 _She leaned up a little and pressed a kiss on his lips. She loved being naked with him and giving herself up to him. He was the only one she felt like she could ever trust like this. The only one she wanted to trust._

" _Turn around." Punk nodded as she smiled, turning around on her stomach as he licked his fingers and cupped her from behind, stroking her clit under her as she moaned into the sheets._

" _Please, please I want you inside me." AJ moaned as he smiled, pulling her down a little by the hips as she smirked, parting her legs a little, still resting on her stomach as he slipped himself inside of her wet entrance, "Oh, fuck." AJ moaned loudly._

" _My mom is downstairs." Punk reminded her, even though he didn't plan to slow down. He knew how she liked it and all he cared about was making her feel good._

" _I don't care." AJ moaned, "Fuck, just like that. You're so deep." She gasped, clutching the sheets around her, feeling him pound deeper into her as she shrieked a little with complete pleasure._

 _Punk chuckled a little and leaned forward, placing his hand over her mouth as she chuckled against it, "Do I gotta keep your mouth covered?" Punk whispered in her ear as AJ nodded._

 _He continued to move in and out of her fast paced, leaned over her back with his hand over her mouth which she was occasionally biting on._

" _I'm gonna cum." AJ moaned against his hand, feeling Punk tangle his arm under her stomach, around her hip, finding her clit and stroking rapidly whilst thrusting into her, "Oh my God." AJ moaned in pleasure, "Oh my God I'm coming." She gasped as Punk felt her tight and wetter around him._

 _He pulled out of her, watching as she lay in ecstasy, turning her around onto her back as she grabbed his hand and sucked on her fingers which had been playing with her underneath._

 _He smirked, dragging his thumb over her bottom lip, teasing the tip of his length by her entrance as she nodded._

" _Yes, give it to me." AJ nodded desperately, cupping her breasts as he smirked, leaning down and kissing her passionately, pushing into her as she moaned out loudly._

"Fuck." AJ woke up in bed, sitting up a little, confused as she felt out of breath and sweaty, suddenly realising her hand was inside her panties.

She rolled her eyes at herself and took her hand out, sitting up and sighing to herself. It wasn't the first time she'd woke up all hot and bothered thinking about times with him.

She got out of bed and headed into the bathroom to splash her face with some cold water. She then headed downstairs for a drink, turning the light on and opening up the fridge to get a bottle of water out.

She then noticed the picture she had ripped up was still ripped up, with only her and Dean stuck to the fridge. She sighed to herself. She wasn't trying to be a bitter, angry, horrible person. Her feelings had been hurt. They were still hurt. But there was no denying that she wasn't thinking about him.

She took a drink from the bottle of water, turning around and noticing the jacket he'd left for her. She sat the water down and lifted the jacket up.

"What the hell." She shrugged, putting the jacket on to see if it would fit, which it did of course, and she also felt really comfortable in it.

She looked at it through the shine of the oven door, sticking her hands in the pockets when she felt something in one of them. She pulled it out and looked at what appeared to be a receipt.

She looked at it in more depth and realised the receipt was from their first date. She lost her breath a little as she looked at the date, and remembered their orders, and even the waiter who served them. It made her smile to herself.

She then turned the receipt around and saw he'd wrote on it.

 _Maybe we could go here again one day. I think Alba would like it. Phil_

She smiled to herself, placing the receipt against her chest close to her heart and sighing. She wished it didn't have to be so complicated.


	42. How To Act

**How To Act**

* * *

"Can I help you?" A woman answered the door as Punk looked on at her.

"Hi. Laura, right?" Punk questioned as the blonde woman nodded, perhaps just a little older than him, "I'm Phil Brooks." He said as he watched woman's face fade a little, "I was wondering if I could… talk to you for a little bit."

"What about?" Laura questioned curiously as Punk looked across at her.

"You were my dad's secretary at the time he was murdered. I know that was a long ass time ago and… everyone I seem to ask about it, they can't remember much but… I just wanted to ask you a few things." He said as Laura nodded slowly.

"Right." Laura said, "Sure, come in." She nodded calmly, opening her door wider as he smiled and walked into her house, "Excuse the mess." She said as Punk walked into the pretty much sparkling clean living room, "I don't normally have visitors."

"It's cleaner than my place." Punk nodded to her as she smiled.

"So what do you want to know? Anything specific?" She asked him, wrapping her cardigan around her tightly, "I was just your dad's secretary, I didn't… I didn't really know much." She admitted right away as Punk nodded.

"I have this diary that belonged to him. The week before his death he was out of town but he left you some work, is that right?" He asked, having studied the diary closely. He felt like he knew every page.

"Uh… maybe, I… I think so." Laura nodded.

"Did you happen to notice anyone go in and out of his office? You had a key to it, right?" He asked as she nodded.

"Yeah but I kept my key locked away. Mr Brooks always said to never have it out for someone to walk by and grab." Laura said, "I never saw anyone go in or out of the office. It was clear for the full week, as far as I remember." She nodded.

"And what was the work he was getting you to do?" Punk questioned.

"It was mostly emails and printing things off for files. Boring admin stuff." Laura smiled softly, "I never did anything important so if it's… some big revelation you're looking for then… it's not me you'll get it from." She said.

"Well do you know anyone who was particularly interested in my father around about then? Someone he might have trusted to go into his office, maybe when you didn't see?" He asked her as Laura shook her head.

"No, I'm sorry. I… I really don't." Laura shook her head, "I'm sorry I don't have any better answers for you. I wasn't clued up with things at the office." She said, "I was just you know… coffee girl." She shrugged as Punk nodded slowly.

"Yeah, but you're in my dad's diary an awful lot. It seemed like he trusted you." Punk nodded.

"Maybe." Laura nodded, "I don't know anything about his death." She shrugged.

"I… didn't ask you about his death." Punk said. He was studying her mannerisms, the way she spoke her answers quickly, the way she didn't look him in the eye, something felt strange with her, "Where were you the night he was killed? At the party?"

"I was with a friend." Laura said as Punk just nodded, "This is starting to feel like a little bit of an accusation." She looked at him as Punk put his hands up.

"Just asking some questions." Punk nodded simply.

"Well, I think you've got your answers." Laura said, "I'm going out soon so… if you don't mind." She looked back to the door as Punk nodded.

"Of course." Punk said, "Thanks for your time." He nodded to her, leaving the living room and house with more and more wonder.

* * *

"She looked suspicious." Punk shrugged, standing in his office with Ted.

"What kind of suspicious?" Ted asked.

"Like she knew something and she didn't want to say. She didn't look me in the eye, she was answering super-fast, like she was prepared for someone to come ask her about it one day." Punk said, "I don't know it was weird."

"Maybe she just didn't want to talk about it." Ted said.

"Yeah, for a reason." Punk said, "She's in this diary so much. She done so much work for my dad, I mean… he had to have trusted her with a lot. She was the only person with a key to his office. She said she saw nobody go in or out the week before his death, when the money was moved." He said.

"Unless someone stole the key, which is the only thing I can think of." Ted said whilst Punk sat up a little with confusion when he saw AJ walking down the offices and approaching his office.

"Can I talk with you?" AJ burst into his office as Ted turned around.

"Who is this?" Ted questioned, "Someone who doesn't know how to knock." He looked at AJ who just ignored him.

"Ted, this is April." Punk stood up, "What are you doing here?" Punk asked AJ.

"I'll give you two a minute then, I guess." Ted said, having no choice but to leave the office whilst AJ took the receipt out of her purse.

"Don't do that again." She warned, placing the receipt down on his desk as Punk looked at it, "Just stop it. What are you trying to do?" She shook her head.

"I was trying to… to do something nice, to remind you of what we had." Punk said.

"No, you're just trying to get in my head. Using Alba to make me sympathize, make me think you're still that man I loved-"

"I am. I'm the same person, April." Punk shook his head, "I thought we were beyond this. Beyond fighting." He said.

"I don't want you playing mind games with me. Trying to work your way back into my heart by just… reminding me of what we used to be. We're not those people anymore. Look, look around you, this is the life you chose over me." She nodded as Punk sighed.

"I wasn't trying to play mind games. I just wanted to make you smile." He shrugged innocently.

"Well you didn't." She lied. Her best coping mechanism was to protect herself from anything, from her feelings, from being hurt again, and that's what she was doing. Even though she smiled upon the receipt, upon his message, she felt like she needed to protect that smile, those feelings.

"Well fine, go rip up the receipt and be bitter about it." Punk said, "I get it. You want nothing to do with me-"

"I don't think you do get it. Do you know how hard it is to see your face? To be reminded by what we did used to have? To remember feeling safe and happy? And then remembering how you left and how none of that even mattered to you?" She asked.

"It did matter." Punk shook his head, "If you really think that it didn't matter to me then… I don't know what to tell you. Maybe we do need to just… stay apart. I was just trying to do something nice. I was trying to let you know that even though our lives have changed, even though I'm here working, you're out there working, you've got a baby… we could still be those people we fell in love with again." He nodded as AJ shook her head, "What do I gotta do to make you believe how sorry I am?" He asked.

"Nothing. You can't do anything." AJ said, "Because nothing will ever make up for how you left me feeling." She shook her head, "Not a receipt, not a jacket, not a bunch of flowers… nothing." AJ shook her head.

"Don't you think I was hurting too?" Punk asked her.

"You were the one who decided to leave." AJ said.

"That didn't mean it was easy, April." Punk said, "It was just as hard for me. I loved you. I wanted to stay-"

"Then why did you leave? What was the big draw for you? Was it the money? Was it the escape?"

"No, it was my dad." Punk said, "Being here… makes me feel like I'm doing something good for him." He said briefly as AJ shook her head.

"You barely spoke to your dad when he was alive." AJ shook her head.

"So that means I can't miss him or want to do something to remember him by?" Punk questioned.

"No, but-"

"Look, if you're here to argue with me then I really can't be bothered. I have work to do. I'm sorry that sending you a receipt, trying to make you smile and remember the good times we had, made you so angry and upset. I'm just gonna stay away from you now, for real, because maybe there isn't anything I can do to change your mind or make you accept my apology." He said, "And maybe I just have to accept that."

"Yeah, maybe you do." AJ nodded, taking the receipt back and stuffing in her pocket as Punk tilted his head.

"Why are you taking it back?" Punk questioned.

"What?" AJ shook her head.

"Surely if it annoyed you so much you won't want it anymore." Punk said, "Or did you just come here looking for a fight when really… the receipt made you smile." He said.

"You're so full of yourself." AJ rolled her eyes, "The receipt has a discount code on it actually." She folded her arms as Punk raised a brow.

"The receipt is from eight years ago. Is there something wrong with you?" Punk shook his head.

"It has no expiration date." She said.

"Well then go enjoy a half priced burger then, and get out of my office." He nodded as she glared at him.

"I will." AJ nodded, "Have fun working." She said childishly.

"I will." Punk replied, watching her walk out of the office, groaning to himself with frustration. He couldn't tell if she was the one playing the games or if he was playing the game without realising, or if they just didn't know how to act around each other anymore.

"She seems like a nightmare." Ted walked back into the office as Punk just shook his head and sat back down.

"I'll get this Laura situation sorted out." Punk said, trying to focus straight back on work to avoid thinking anymore about AJ.

"By doing what?" Ted asked.

"Well I'll see if anyone saw her around my father's death, I'll ask around to the people who have been working here for years, see if they saw anything. She was the only one with a key and her name is in this diary more than anyone. I find it pretty convenient she didn't attend the party that my dad was killed at, and I find it convenient that she didn't notice anyone coming in or out of my dad's office the entire week he was gone." Punk said.

"I'll leave you to it." Ted nodded, "Do you want me to tell reception to not let that crazy ex back in here?"

"Don't call her that." Punk shook his head seriously, "No, it's fine." He nodded to him.

"Ok." Ted headed to the door, "Good luck." He walked out as Punk leaned back on his chair and sighed.


	43. Needing You

**Needing You**

* * *

"He's so annoying." AJ shook her head, sitting at the kitchen table in Kerry's whilst feeding Alba her dinner. Dean sat across from her after coming to visit from work.

"Why is he annoying?" Dean asked casually.

"Because he's trying to get into my head now." AJ shook her head, "And I think it's working." She sighed, gathering some mashed potato onto the spoon and giving it to Alba as she took it and fed herself, enjoying her dinner with the company of her uncle and mother.

"How? What is he doing?" Dean asked.

"He left a stupid receipt in the jacket he got me." AJ said, "The receipt from our first date." She shook her head, "And he wrote on it, hopefully we can go again one day. I think Alba would like it." AJ made a face, "What would he know about what Alba likes? He's using my daughter to get to me." AJ shook her head.

"Or he's just trying to… remind you of the good times you guys had, and how… even though you've got a baby, he still loves you for you?" Dean wondered as AJ looked at him.

"You're supposed to agree with me. Not preach for him." AJ said.

"Well I can't help it when I know how he feels. He's still in love with you. Do you not think it's super weird how neither of you have moved on? Neither of you have had any sort of relationship since breaking up?" Dean asked, "You're both still hung up on each other and y'all are just being frustrating now." Dean shook his head as AJ looked across at him, "Aren't they?" He turned to Alba, "Are they annoying you?" He nodded.

"I can't just forget what he did, Dean. If I even considered… giving him a chance, I would be terrified of him just leaving one day. And I'm not going through that again." AJ said.

"I think he's learned his lesson. He never wanted to hurt you. You act like him walking out was to deliberately hurt your feelings." Dean said.

"Well he didn't exactly think about my feelings when he did it." AJ said, "We should just stay clear of each other. Too much has happened. Too much has been missed." AJ concluded, "More potato's?" She asked Alba, gathering some on the spoon and giving her it as Kerry walked into the kitchen.

"Dean, that wedding is next week. Are you going or not?" Kerry asked him, trying to find the invitation.

"What wedding?" AJ asked, taking Alba's empty plate over to the sink to wash it whilst Dean cleaned up the one-year-old's face.

"It's a distant cousin we never talk to." Dean shook his head.

"I know Phil isn't going." Kerry said, "So I'd appreciate it if you and Renee went with me, to keep me company." Kerry nodded as Dean grumbled.

"Fine, I guess. But I'm getting drunk and you aren't stopping me." Dean warned his mother who just shook her head.

"So it's just me and Alba here then?" AJ asked.

"Yeah." Kerry nodded, "It's Friday night. Will you be alright?" She asked.

"Oh, yeah. I'll be fine." AJ nodded.

* * *

The next week came around and AJ was almost glad that after a week of working, she could sit down on Friday night and relax in front of the TV whilst Alba was down for the night. Kerry was at the family wedding with Dean and Renee, so she took full advantage of the empty house which meant eating her weight in snacks and watching the mind-numbing talk shows that came on.

She was dozing on and off on the couch when she heard a knock at the door. She got up and headed out of the living room, opening up the door as she saw Punk standing.

"Is my mom in?" Punk asked her.

"No, she's at a wedding." AJ said, letting him into the house as he closed the door behind him.

"Shit, that wedding was tonight." Punk remembered.

"Why aren't you at it?" AJ questioned, walking back into the living room as he followed.

"I just got off of work. It would have been pointless to show up now." He shook his head as AJ nodded, "Are you… hungry?" He looked at all the snacks on the coffee table.

"Yes, do you have a problem?" AJ asked him, "Why are you even here?" She questioned, sitting back down on the couch as Punk just shook his head.

"I just came to see her." Punk shrugged, "Haven't been by since last week." He said.

"Well she's not here." AJ said calmly.

"Why aren't you at the wedding?" He wondered.

"Because I'm the adopted ugly duckling of your family, remember? No one knows who I am." She said, "Plus, I'd rather be at home snacking and enjoying rotten TV." She shrugged as Punk nodded.

"Yeah, I can see that." He nodded, "I'm sorry if… if giving you that receipt made you mad. Quite frankly I think that anything I do might make you mad so… I'm just gonna stop trying. I get it. You can't forgive me and that's gonna stay with me for a long time but… I wasn't trying to play with your mind and get to you by using Alba. I just… wanted you to remember how much I did love you. Remember those times we did have together." He nodded as she just nodded and stayed quiet until she heard Alba begin to cry from upstairs through the monitor.

"I'll be back in a minute." AJ shook her head, getting up and walking by him, rushing upstairs and into Alba's nursery whilst Punk waited in the living room. He then heard his name called after a few seconds, and he knew something was wrong.

"What is it?" Punk walked out to the stairs.

"I-I think there's something wrong with Alba." AJ said.

"What do you mean?" Punk asked, already walking up the stairs quickly, reaching the top where she was standing and following her into the nursery.

"She… She's not breathing properly." AJ said frantically, "And she's got… she has a rash on her back." She showed him as Punk looked at Alba, listening as her breathing seemed heavy and uncontrolled.

"Go get a glass from the kitchen." Punk nodded.

"What?" AJ shook her head.

"Do it. Just go get a glass." Punk told her as AJ ran away out of the nursery, "Ok, you're gonna be alright, sweetheart." Punk nodded, noticing the giraffe he'd sent her sitting beside her.

"Here." AJ almost tripped into the door, running so fast as she passed him the glass from the kitchen as he took it.

"Tilt her on her side a little." Punk nodded as AJ rolled her over a little.

"What are you doing?" AJ shook her head as Punk pressed the glass against her back.

"Checking to see if it's just a rash." Punk said.

"Since when were you a doctor?" AJ shook her head as Punk looked at the rash fading under the glass, thankfully.

"Ok, that's good. It's not meningitis or anything like that." He nodded, "But I think you should still take her to the hospital. It might be an allergic reaction." He said as AJ nodded.

"I don't have a car." AJ shook her head, lifting Alba up into her arms, caressing the back of her head as she heard her wheezing, "Phil, I don't think she's breathing properly." AJ cried worriedly.

"I'll take you, come on." Punk nodded, leading her out of the nursery and out into the car. He knew he'd get them there quicker than an ambulance and certainly quicker than AJ walking.

* * *

"How did you know how to do that?" AJ asked, sitting in the waiting room with him. She was a nervous mess. They took Alba right away and the doctor had come back out yet to speak to them. It was 1am on a Friday night. The hospital had never been busier.

"Do what?" Punk asked, sitting beside her, mostly just reassuring her that everything would be alright.

"The glass." AJ turned to him, "I didn't know you had to do that."

"You don't have to but it helps you know if it's a rash or if it's something else like meningitis, which would be the difference between me driving 60 miles per hour or 80 to get here." He nodded, "I think it might just be an allergic reaction." He said.

"Where'd you learn how to do it, though?" AJ asked him.

"Back in New York, when I first got there, I lived with one of my dad's friends, Ted. His son was 2 and he got meningitis, I remember them talking about the glass test. I had to do it a few times." He nodded.

"I would never have known." She sighed to herself, "I'm so stupid." She shook her head.

"Hey, you're not. Most people wouldn't know. You were scared. Bringing her here is the best thing to do and you did that."

"No, you did that." AJ corrected, "I don't even have a car. What if you weren't there?" She shook her head.

"Then you would have called an ambulance or called me." He said, "Don't be so tough on yourself." He shook his head as she sighed.

"She's been gone for a while." AJ sighed to herself. She was beside herself with complete worry. It was the scariest thing in the world, hearing her baby girl struggling to breathe, seeing her rushed away by doctors. She didn't know what she'd do if she didn't have Punk with her to reassure her.

"She'll be alright." Punk nodded, placing his hand on her arm as she sighed. She hated that she needed him. But right now, she really did.

"Are you Alba's parents?" A doctor approached them as AJ stood up, not caring to correct him.

"Is she ok?" AJ asked desperately as Punk stood up behind her.

"She's ok." The doctor nodded, "She seems to have taken an allergic reaction to something. Her throat was starting to swell, that's why she was struggling to breathe, and the rash on her back is the reaction, she started breaking out around her mouth too." He said, "We've got her stabilised, the swelling in her throat is gone but I'd like to keep her in for the night to make sure she makes a full recovery." He said as AJ nodded.

"So it's not meningitis?" AJ worried. She was terrified of it being something much worse than an allergic reaction.

"Yeah, we did the glass test and… it faded so-"

"Smart parents." The doctor smiled, "It's not meningitis." He said, "Just a reaction. Is there anything she ate today that was different?" He asked, looking at both of them but of course Punk didn't have the answers.

"Uh…" AJ tried to think, "She had her normal breakfast and lunch… dinner was… something she always has." She nodded, "She had a peach yoghurt after dinner." She realised, "I've never tried her with that flavour before." She admitted as the doctor nodded.

"That could be it. Peaches or even just the type of yoghurt. When you go home read the ingredients. If it's something she's never had before then… it makes sense to be that." The doctor said as AJ nodded.

"Can I see her?" AJ asked desperately as the doctor smiled and nodded.

"Yes, she's in room 205 down the corridor." He nodded.

"Thank you so much." She said as the doctor nodded and walked away. AJ began to walk down the corridor when she didn't feel Punk walking with her, she turned around and looked at him standing by the seats, "What are you doing?" She shook her head.

"What?" Punk said.

"Come with me." AJ nodded.

"You want me to?" He questioned as she nodded.

"Please." She said. She had no idea where she would have been without his help and knowledge tonight.

"Ok." Punk nodded, following her down the corridor and into the room that Alba was in.

They walked over to the crib where she was in sleeping, attached to a few monitors, making her look sicker than she really was.

"Baby." AJ frowned, cupping her cheek softly as Punk sighed, "Mommy's here. It's ok." She nodded, drying her tears as Punk stood beside her.

He pulled out the small giraffe teddy from his pocket that he'd grabbed on his way out of the nursery at home. AJ watched as he sat it down in the crib beside her.

"I figure she'll wanna see that when she wakes up." He nodded as AJ turned to him, "She's gonna be fine." He nodded to her as AJ sighed, looking down at Alba and taking her little hand softly.

"Thank you." AJ shook her head, drying her tears as Punk looked at her, "For being here." She said, "You were more help to her than I was." She said.

"No, she needs you." Punk nodded, "It's gonna be alright." He said, placing his hand on her back softly as he watched her turn into him and wrap her arms around him. She was justifying herself by being emotional, and at this point she would have taken a cuddle from anyone, but boy was she glad it was him standing beside her.

He wrapped his arms around her tightly, sighing to himself at how right it felt to hold her again, rubbing her back softly as she pressed her head against his chest.


	44. A Chance

**A Chance**

* * *

AJ spent the night at the hospital and Punk didn't leave her side. They didn't speak much. Just his presence was enough for AJ. She didn't want to be alone right now. She was so frightened for Alba. She'd never had any sort of baby scares with her.

"Coffee?" Punk said, handing over a coffee to AJ as he had disappeared from the room to get them some.

"Thank you." AJ nodded, taking it from him, sitting down beside the crib that Alba was still sleeping in. She didn't know where she would have been without his help, his assurance, the way he could keep her calm and hopeful, "Don't you have work?" She asked him.

"I can go in later." Punk nodded.

"No, if you… if you have to go to work, you should. I'll get a cab home." She nodded.

"No, I'm taking you home. Both of you." He said as she smiled and nodded.

"Thank you for being here and staying with me." She nodded, "I've never been so worried about her." She shook her head as Punk nodded, sitting down beside her, "I mean the last time I was at the hospital with her it was… when she was born." She shook her head, "Nothing like this has ever happened before."

"Well she's fine, you heard the doctor. She'll be fine to come home this morning. Babies have all kinds of reactions to things." He nodded, "It's common. It's nothing to worry about. Just… no more peaches for her." He said as AJ smiled and nodded.

"Yeah, right." AJ nodded, "I don't know what I would have done if you weren't there." She sighed. She wasn't ashamed to admit that he'd pretty much helped her through this hard night. She was embarrassed to say she very much leaned on him for support.

"You would have figured out and she'd be fine just the same." Punk nodded to her, "You're not useless, AJ. You're a good mom. You know best for her. You know her better than anyone." He said as AJ nodded, "Don't doubt yourself." He shook his head as she turned to him and smiled softly.

It was hard to be mad at him because deep down she absolutely loved him with all her heart. She loved that he could be sat beside her and she didn't feel scared or alone. She loved that to this day, he was still the only person she really trusted, even when he had left the way he did.

Luckily, Alba woke up and broke the awkward silence as AJ and Punk stared at one another. She began crying immediately and AJ stood up, placing her coffee on the table beside.

"Hey, baby." AJ smiled, "Hi, it's alright." She soothed, stroking her cheek softly.

"I'll go get the doctor." Punk said, leaving the room as AJ nodded, looking down at Alba and smiled.

"Hey, you look so much better already." AJ smiled as Alba grabbed onto her hand, "Yeah, you do." AJ laughed softly as Alba gave her a smile, "We're gonna go home now. It's gonna be fine." She smiled.

* * *

"Oh, thank God." Kerry sighed, pouncing on AJ the second she walked in the door with Alba, "Oh, thank God she's alright." Kerry shook her head, crowding Alba, cupping her soft little cheeks as AJ smiled whilst Punk walked in behind her.

"She's fine." AJ nodded, passing Alba over to Kerry who wanted a cuddle of course after worrying all morning, "She's allergic to peaches so… let's never have them in the house." AJ said as Kerry nodded.

"Did you both take her?" Kerry wondered as she looked at Punk.

"Yeah, I was around to see you, forgot about the wedding. She started crying when I was around." Punk nodded, "So we took her to the hospital." He nodded.

"We've been up all night." AJ shook her head, feeling the effects of being awake for twenty four hours finally catching up with her.

"Yeah, I gotta go to work." Punk nodded as AJ turned to him.

"You haven't slept." AJ said.

"I'll be alright." Punk nodded, "Let me know how she's doing." He said, stroking Alba's cheek softly before leaving the house.

"He stayed all night with you?" Kerry asked as AJ nodded.

"I asked him to. I didn't want to be alone." She shook her head, "He was really great." She nodded as Kerry smiled.

"Well I'm just so glad she's ok. No more peaches for you." Kerry shook her head, kissing Alba's cheek as AJ smiled, so glad to see Alba brighter and back to her normal self, "You go lie down. You must be exhausted." She said as AJ nodded.

"Yeah, I will." AJ nodded, leaning forward and kissing Alba's cheek softly before heading upstairs to take a power nap that she desperately needed.

* * *

"You look like shit." Ted nodded as he walked into Punk's office.

"I haven't slept." Punk said, sitting at his desk, practically dozing on and off.

"Oh, yeah? Too much action last night?" He asked as Punk groaned a little.

"You could say that." He said, "I spoke to one of the guys on this floor who has worked here for as long as the company is alive and he said he always saw Laura and my dad talking privately. That they looked extremely close at times." Punk said, "Knowing my dad, my odds are on him having an affair with her. That's why she probably got so damn jumpy." He said.

"Your dad was happy with Kim." Ted shook his head.

"And people thought my dad was happy with my mom." Punk said, "So I'm gonna talk to Kim once I finish today, if I can… function properly by then." He said, running his hands over his face tiredly.

"If he was having an affair with her it wouldn't make a difference." Ted shrugged.

"She might know something she isn't letting onto." Punk said as Ted nodded.

"Yeah, maybe. Well, see what Kim has to say." Ted nodded, "And get more hours sleep, boy. You look like death." He said as Punk just nodded, watching him leave the office as he sat back on his chair, grabbing a book and folding it over his face so he could take a quick power nap.

* * *

"You feeling better?" Kerry asked after AJ woke up from her nap, joining her in the kitchen whilst dinner was cooking. Alba was down for a nap.

"Yeah, I needed that." AJ nodded, rubbing her still tired eyes, "I just couldn't leave her side." She shook her head as Kerry nodded.

"I get it. Dean had a hernia when he was just a few months old. I don't think I slept for a week." She said as AJ nodded, "It's what we do." She said as AJ nodded, "I'm glad Phil was there with you. I didn't think you'd want him there." She admitted.

"I needed him there." AJ shook her head, "I didn't wanna be alone." She said as Kerry nodded, "And he… he kept me calm. I would have gone out of my mind if I was on my own." She said, "Made me feel bad for how I've been treating him when I know he's the same guy he was back then." AJ nodded.

"You've been hurt. How you've acted is normal. He knows that. We all do. He hurt you and you… you want to protect yourself." Kerry nodded, "Protect your feelings." She said, "That's normal. But… after a while, maybe it is time to… give him a chance? Or just… be civil." Kerry said, "I know my son, I know how sorry he is for what he did." She said as AJ nodded.

"So much has changed." AJ said, "We're not those people anymore-"

"Yes you are." Kerry nodded, "That's just an excuse you've came up with. The only difference is some time has gone by. You're the same people. I know because I know you both." Kerry said.

"I have a baby. He has a company to run. It's different now." AJ shrugged. She was running out of things to say to use an excuse. She hated that she still loved him because of what he did. It made her feel desperate, but when she thought about it, letting him in last night, letting him be there for her, it was the best she'd felt in a long time.

"You still love him." Kerry stated as AJ looked across at her in silence, "It's not a question. It's a statement because I know. If you didn't love him then him coming back wouldn't have been such a huge deal the way it has." She said as AJ sighed, "And he still loves you because he is beside himself that he wasn't there for you when you went through what you did. You've both lost time with each other. Why not try and… make it up?" Kerry asked.

"Because what if he leaves again?" AJ asked, "What if he is his father and he walks out on me? What if I let Alba into his life and he walks out on her too-"

"You know that would never happen. He's not his father." Kerry shook her head, "And you know that. He's a good man. He's kind. He'd do anything for his family."

"Like run away from them and not speak to them?" AJ asked, "Because that's what he did. Nothing will change that."

"And he's said sorry so many times, in so many different ways. He can only do so much." Kerry said as AJ sighed and nodded.

"I know that." AJ said. It was hard coming to terms with the fact her life still ached for Punk to be in it. She still thought about him. She still wanted to be with him. Even when she'd tried so hard over the years to forget about him. To get over him. It just hadn't worked out. And she was realising that now.

"I'm not saying get back together. It's up to you. You're right. You both have different lives. Things have changed around you." Kerry nodded, "But… you guys can be civil at least. I can have my family around at Christmas dinner and not give everyone different time slots for it." She said as AJ smiled a little, "Right?" Kerry laughed a little as AJ nodded.

"I don't know what to do." AJ admitted truthfully.

"Act on your feelings. Be honest to yourself. You don't need to put on this… bad bitch front. You're allowed to love him. It's not a crime."

"It feels like it." AJ shook her head.

"Just give yourself some time." Kerry said, rubbing her hand softly before getting up and sorting dinner as AJ sighed to herself.

* * *

Punk got home to his apartment later that night. Cranky and ready for bed after still running on no sleep. He'd napped on and off in his office but barely got much sleep. He tried to visit Kim on his way home but there was no answer at her house. He thought she would know about Laura, if his dad ever mentioned her by chance.

He was too tired to do much else and couldn't wait to get home and sleep.

He got to the top floor and headed to his door, opening it up and walking on in. He dumped his things down and headed into his bedroom around the corner to get into sweats and a t-shirt.

He walked back into the kitchen to make something to eat when he heard a knock at his door. He walked back out and opened up the door to see one of the bell boys from downstairs standing.

"Uh… a delivery for you, Mr Brooks." He extended the bag as Punk nodded.

"Thanks." Punk nodded to him, taking the bag and closing the door over, walking back into the kitchen with it and digging inside to see what it was.

He realised he had pulled out a burger, which was oddly convenient as he was completely starving, but once he noticed where the burger was from and noticed the receipt attached to it, he smiled to himself.

He took the receipt from the burger, turning it around as another message had been added to it after his own.

 _I think she would like it too. Enjoy the half-price burger. April_

He chuckled to himself and nodded, sitting the receipt down and opening up the burger, digging into it as he headed off to bed with a smile on his face.


	45. Let's Talk

**Let's Talk**

* * *

"Patch." Punk smiled, "Hey, boy." He said, crouching down as the Pitbull came bounding at him in his apartment where Dean had stopped by on their walk, "Hey." Punk laughed as Patch rolled on his back and got him to scratch his belly, "Dean he's getting kinda tubby." Punk looked up at his little brother.

"Let him be. We have an ice-cream every now and then." Dean waved his hand, "He's a happy and good boy always." He nodded.

"Well good." Punk smiled, rubbing the dog happily, "What are you doing here?" He asked.

"We were out on our morning stroll, thought I'd stop by to see you." Dean said as Punk stood up straight, "And also I heard about you and April's trip to the hospital and I wanted the details, of course." He smiled as Punk shook his head.

"There are no details." Punk said, "I took her to the hospital with Alba, I stayed with her all night because she was… scared and alone, and then I took them home in the morning. That's what happened. Ok, we didn't fuck in a hospital bed." He shook his head.

"Bet you wanted to, though." Dean nodded.

"Dean." Punk tutted.

"What? I'm fed up of you both playing these games. Just get back together, end the drama, and it'll be like the good old days." Dean said.

"I'd love nothing more. Trust me. But it's not up to me. April is still mad and she has… every right to be. We might never move on. And I gotta learn to accept that." He nodded. Even though he believed the receipt she had sent the previous night with the burger was her way of softening up on him, he still knew that didn't mean he was completely forgiven.

"Can't you guys just sit down and have like… a therapy session with each other? Tell each other how you feel?" Dean asked.

"We've done that. I still left and AJ still… went through what she did and I wasn't there." He shook his head, "And she's got a baby. Everything is different." Punk said, "I got a damn company to run right now." He shook his head, "I gotta find out who killed dad."

"You're not getting very far with that, are you?" Dean hummed.

"It's not as easy as you'd think. There's a ton of people who work for the company. A ton of people who would be happy to have dad killed off so the board could change." Punk nodded, "I'm making waves, it's better I do slowly so that I… don't miss anything." He said as Dean nodded.

"Don't you think the police… would have found something if it was to be found?" Dean asked.

"No, because they don't see the company how I can see it now. It's why I got into it in the first place." He said.

"Maybe if you told AJ, she would… understand a little better." Dean said.

"Or she'd flip for continuing to lie to her." Punk said, "Plus, it's already bad enough you know. It's easier that it's on the down low." He nodded.

"Fair enough." Dean shrugged, "You gonna talk to AJ?"

"About what?" Punk asked.

"I don't know, mom said she seems different since you took her to the hospital. Like she's… calmed down a little. Cause let's face it, she was pissed with you." Dean said.

"And she had every right to be." Punk nodded, "But… I'm not forcing anything on her. I'm here if she needs me and she knows that." He said, "I gotta get to work." He said as Dean nodded.

"Where'd Patch go?" Dean asked, "Patch!" Dean called, whistling as Punk turned around and saw Patch with his leg up against the couch, peeing on the side, "Patch, no!" Dean clapped his hands as Punk turned to Dean.

"He's eight years old and still acts like a puppy." Punk shook his head.

"Hey, it's a new place he's just curious." Dean shrugged as Patch came running back to him.

"I'm just gonna come pee at your place then. Curiously." Punk nodded as Dean shook his head.

"Shut up." Dean scoffed, "C'mon Patch." He patted his thigh as he left the apartment as Punk just shook his head and smiled.

* * *

"Phil." Kim shook her head, opening up her door as Punk stood with his hands in his pockets.

"Hey, Kim." Punk nodded.

"W-What? What are you doing here?" Kim shook her head.

"I was wondering if I could talk to you. I won't take up much of your time." Punk said as Kim nodded.

"Come in." Kim nodded, opening up the door a little wider as Punk stepped into the house, the same house his father died in, "I've just got home. I was away for a month with my family." She said as Punk nodded.

"Good timing then?" Punk smiled to her as she nodded.

"Yeah, definitely." Kim said, "Can I get you anything? A drink?" She asked.

"No, I'm ok." Punk nodded, standing in the lounge area with her, "I… I wanted to ask you some things about my dad." He said as Kim nodded.

"I figured." Kim nodded, "What do you wanna know?" She folded her arms.

"Did he ever mention a woman named Laura?" Punk asked, watching Kim's face drop a little and look down at the ground, "I take that as a yes." He said as Kim looked up at him and nodded.

"Yeah." Kim said, "She was his secretary." She nodded.

"Was that it?" Punk asked curiously.

"They were having an affair." Kim nodded.

"You knew?" Punk asked her.

"I caught him out." Kim said, "Back then I guess… I thought it was my karma. The cheater becomes the cheated." She said, "Only… then I realised what I must have put your mother through. How I must have made her feel." She shook her head.

"Trust me, my mom got over it very quickly." Punk assured her, "Did you… forgive him? When did you find out?"

"Not long before he died. Just before we moved here. I called him out and threatened to leave. Told him I deserved better." Kim said, "But he was set on making a new life. Starting over. Trying hard. And I really believed him." Kim nodded, "He told me he'd fire Laura if it meant I was happy but that didn't make me happy." She shook her head, "I forgave him for some reason, even though it had been going on for a year."

"A year?" Punk raised his eyebrows, "Why forgive him?"

"Because I loved him." Kim said, "I really did. And I saw how much he wanted to be better. For me. For you and Dean. He bought this house, moved here so he could really be a better dad and better to me." She nodded, "I guess… he didn't have much time to prove himself after that." She shrugged, "Why? Why are you asking me about Laura?"

"I'm just looking into his death." Punk nodded, "Laura was the only one who had a key to his office and… someone had to have gotten in there to move the money." He said, "Potentially his killer who showed up that night at the party." He said as Kim nodded.

"I've stalked the girl on social media, I've saw her in person, if you think she's the one who killed him then…. You're wrong or you're just high. She's just like me. Naïve, easily persuaded, dumb." Kim smiled as Punk sighed.

"You're not any of those things." Punk sighed.

"No, not anymore. You're right." Kim nodded, "But I was." She said, "I loved your dad. I did. And he was trying very hard. But to say he was a good man… I'd be lying." She nodded, "He always wanted more. Whether it was money, or women… he was never happy with his life, even after the success he had." She said as Punk looked across at her, "I hope you don't turn out to be like that." She shook her head, "Because he believed you would."

"He did?" Punk asked her.

"Well, he told me you would end up like him. He viewed that as a positive but… I didn't." Kim said, "You're working for the company?"

"Uh… yeah." Punk nodded, "Yeah, I'm running it in Chicago."

"Wow." Kim nodded, "Well congratulations." She said as Punk just nodded, "You're young to be carrying that sort of… responsibility." She said.

"I got help of course." Punk nodded.

"Right." Kim said, "Well is there anything else I can do for you?" She asked.

"No, that was it. Thank you." Punk said as Kim nodded.

"Good luck, Phil." Kim nodded as Punk tilted his head a little.

"With what?" Punk chuckled a little.

"With the company. It controlled your father's life. It killed your father. I'd hate to see the same thing happen to you." She nodded as Punk looked across at her.

"Yeah, I'll be alright." Punk nodded, "Thanks for your time, Kim." He said, leaving the lounge and heading out of the house with more answers, yet more questions.

* * *

Punk got home late on that night after spending some time at the office. He finally left around 11 and just grabbed some take-out on his way home. He was left thinking about what Kim had said to him.

"Mr Brooks." The doorman nodded as Punk walked into the building.

"I said call me Phil, Kevin." Punk said, walking by him as Kevin, the older man just smiled.

Punk took the elevator upstairs, reaching the top floor and stepping out, pausing when he saw someone sitting outside his door, smiling a little as he walked towards her.

"Hey." Punk shook his head as AJ got to her feet, picking up the take-out bag with her as she looked across at him.

"Hi." AJ smiled softly.

"How long have you been sitting there?" He asked.

"Uh not long." AJ assured him as Punk nodded, "I… brought dinner." She held up the bag, "But I guess you did too." She noticed as he nodded.

"Yeah. I grabbed it on my way home." Punk nodded, "Is everything alright?" He asked her as she nodded.

"Yeah, everything is fine." AJ nodded, "I just… wanted to know if you wanted to have dinner." She said, "I'm off mom duty tonight." She explained as Punk nodded slowly and smiled. He wasn't expecting it, but after her sending the receipt to him, and spending time at the hospital with her, he definitely felt like she was seeing him for him again, and not just the man who walked out on her.

"I'd love to have dinner with you." Punk nodded as she smiled.

"Good." AJ nodded with relief as Punk got his key out and opened up the apartment door to let them in.

"I wasn't expecting this. I have pee all over my couch." Punk shook his head as AJ turned around to him.

"You… peed on your couch?" She questioned.

"No. Patch did." Punk said, sitting his things down as AJ stood and nodded, "Dean had him over and he pissed all over the side." He shook his head.

"Yeah, Dean is pretty lenient with him." AJ nodded.

"Yeah." Punk agreed, "Uh… go through to the kitchen." He nodded, "We can just share the food." He said as she nodded.

She was trying to be the bigger person. To forget about all the hard things, all the sad things that made her worry, and just talk to him.

"I… I just want to talk." AJ nodded, "No yelling or shouting. Nothing about you leaving. Just… talk like we used to." She said as he looked across at her.

"I can do that." Punk smiled. It felt like a chance but he wasn't sure how to take it. He was just glad to see her face, to see her smile, to get what felt like a chance to speak with her. It was all he wanted.


	46. Talk It Out

**Talk It Out**

* * *

"How'd you get the night off?" Punk asked, sitting at the kitchen table with AJ, still surprised that she was even there

"Kerry is super gran." AJ nodded, "Any chance she can get with Alba she takes it. She's great." AJ nodded. She'd made the decision to come to his place spontaneously. After the past few days, calming herself down, trying to look at things from a different perspective, she still saw the same man she fell in love with. It was what he had done that worried her and upset her. So she was trying to block that out for the night.

"Did she help you through the pregnancy?" Punk asked her as AJ nodded.

"Yeah, she did. She's been great." AJ shook her head, "Although Dean was my birthing partner."

"Dean?" Punk laughed a little.

"Yeah, he… I wanted someone to make me laugh, take my mind off of what was going on, and he did. He was great." AJ nodded.

"Who would have thought?" Punk laughed a little as she smiled, "The dad really wanted nothing to do with it?" He asked her, walking over to the fridge to get another water as AJ shook her head.

"No." AJ shook her head, "I… well it's sort of embarrassing." She admitted truthfully.

"I would never judge you." Punk shook his head, sitting back down at the table as she nodded.

"I got pregnant in a club bathroom during a manic episode. I had to go to club to… try and find his name when I found out." AJ nodded as Punk looked across at her, "I know… it's disgusting and cheap-"

"It's not." Punk shook his head, "Look what you got out of it. A beautiful little girl." He said as she looked across at him and smiled.

"I found him and told him." AJ said, "He didn't say much. He said he would call me but he never did. I thought I would give him another chance, so I went back to his place and he'd moved out." She shrugged, "I got the hint."

"Dick." Punk scoffed.

"Honestly, I think I was better to go through this on my own. I didn't know the guy, as… weird as that was. I wouldn't have taken anything from him but… I don't know, a part of me was glad." She shook her head, "I was super positive about it. I thought it was a sign that… things were gonna get better, and I felt like they were for the first few months but… then it hit me I guess." She shook her head. She had missed being able to talk to him.

"I guess it's a big responsibility." He nodded, "I couldn't do it."

"I'm sure you'd be just fine." AJ nodded, "What's it like?" She asked.

"What?" Punk said.

"Running a company?" She questioned.

"Oh." Punk nodded, not expecting her to be interested, "I didn't think you'd wanna talk about that." He said. He was a little confused that she suddenly wanted to put everything aside and just talk, but he supposed maybe things were softening between them.

"C'mon, let's just talk like normal. Forget about all the negative stuff." She nodded, "What's it like?" She nodded.

"It's… challenging." Punk nodded, "Has its ups and downs I suppose." He said, "Lot of pressure."

"I always knew you were smart enough for it." AJ said, "I just… I didn't think it was the lifestyle you wanted." She said.

"It's not the lifestyle I wanted." Punk agreed, "But… I've grown to appreciate it a lot, and I've worked hard to get to where I am. I had to work from the ground up. I took no shortcuts just because my dad ran the business." He said, "And now I'm… in with the board and… on top I guess." He said.

"Must feel nice." She nodded, wiping her hands with the napkin and sitting back.

"What about you?" Punk asked, "At the agency? What do you get up to there?" He asked her.

"I'm still trying to get published." AJ said, "I've written a lot of stuff that has got declined." She nodded, "I have an office, I work on short exerts and do the tedious work for those who are published. So… you can catch my frustration." She said.

"You're still writing, though. Right?" Punk nodded.

"Oh, yeah. Of course. I'm determined to get published. Even if it takes me years." She said, "I wrote a lot in hospital so I've got some unfished stuff from back then that I wanna… tidy up." She said.

"How long were you in hospital?" He asked her.

"Just under a month. They wanted to keep me longer but since I was going home with Kerry and she was… obviously going to take care of me, they let me go home a little earlier." She said, "I couldn't stay in there another minute." She shook her head.

"Why didn't you talk to someone?" He shook his head, "If you were feeling so… so depressed, so suicidal-"

"It's not as easy as just… talking to someone and feeling better." AJ shook her head, "I was going through a bunch of highs and lows. I wasn't myself. I was living away from home. It got too much and too late… lucky I was found or… I would have gone out the same way my mom did." She nodded as Punk sighed. He didn't want to think about that. It made him so angry with himself for ever leaving. He couldn't imagine coming back and being told that AJ had succeeded at taking her life. It made him really think about his choices.

"I… I wish I could go back. I do." Punk nodded, "And be there for you." He said as AJ shook her head.

"Maybe everything happened the way it was supposed to. I wouldn't have Alba if you stayed. And I… I can't imagine life without her." She shook her head, "You wouldn't have… gotten really rich." She looked around at the apartment.

"That's not all my life is. I… I didn't do it for the money." Punk said, "Sure, it's nice to have it but… I still wear the same t-shirts I wore when I was eighteen. I still get things at the dollar store. I have one car and it's barely running properly… I didn't do all of this to get rich." He shook his head.

"I know that." AJ nodded softly, "But… like you said, it's nice to have it, right?" She asked, "Not having to worry about bills, rent, stuff like that." She said as Punk nodded.

"Hey, I know you're still beating yourself up about the whole rent situation but… you'll move out eventually to a bigger place with Alba and… you'll afford it comfortably. I know you. If you want something you'll get it." He said as she nodded.

"Well I hope you're right." AJ nodded, "I feel like your mom has gave up so much of her life for me. Taking me in when I was a kid. Taking care of me when I was ill. Taking care of Alba pretty much from the get go." She shook her head.

"What happened?" Punk asked her, "Why'd she end up taking care of her?" He asked as AJ leaned her elbows on the table and looked down.

"I… wasn't feeling good after I had her. Mentally. I was depressed. I didn't leave the house. I would cry when she would cry." AJ rolled her eyes at herself, "I just thought I wasn't cut out for this." She shook her head, "When I got back on my meds it was like I… I hit a huge high. A manic episode my doctor calls them." She said, "I just left the apartment without her. I left her there." AJ shook her head, "And I wasn't even aware of what I was doing." She said, "She must have just been crying constantly because my upstairs neighbour got a key and got into the apartment." She said.

"Where did you go?" Punk asked her with confusion.

"I went shopping." AJ looked him in the eye as he raised his eyebrows, "That's how completely out of it I was. I went shopping and left her there herself. 5 weeks old." AJ nodded as Punk sighed, "My neighbour called your mom and she came by and got her. We agreed that for the time being it was better for… for your mom to take care of her." AJ nodded, "It was really hard admitting that." She shook her head.

"You did the right thing for Alba. That's more than anyone could ask for." Punk nodded, "You shouldn't be ashamed." He shook his head.

"I just didn't know what to do. I didn't even know how to hold her when she was born. I… I didn't know anything about babies." She shook her head, "I just felt better with your mom taking care of her. I felt like Alba was safer with her than she ever would be with me." She shook her head.

"Well look at you now. You've overcame all of that." Punk nodded, "And you're an amazing mom. Alba loves you, you can see it." He said, "No one gets parenting right. I know that much." He said as AJ nodded, "Don't be so tough on yourself. You're doing great for yourself and for Alba." He said as AJ smiled.

"Thank you." AJ nodded, "And even though you left me for this new life and this job… I'm glad it worked out for you." She said, "It can't be easy, running a company and all the stuff that goes with it." She shook her head.

"Yeah, it's not a walk in the park." Punk agreed as AJ nodded, "Honestly the hardest thing for me right now has been… knowing I messed up with you. Big time." Punk nodded, "Knowing I wasn't there when you really needed me." He said, "That's gonna stay with me forever."

"I did need you." AJ nodded honestly, "I wish you were there but… you weren't and I need to move on from that." She said, "I can't hold it against you forever, even though I want to." She said as Punk smiled a little and nodded, "I've been really mean to you, and you did deserve it at first." She nodded as he nodded too, "But now it's… it's just childish and I don't want to fight with you anymore." She shook her head.

"I don't wanna fight." Punk agreed, "I just really want you to know how sorry I am." He said as she nodded.

"I know." She nodded. She did know how sorry he was. She believed him. It didn't make it any easier, but she could see how genuinely disappointed he was in himself for leaving how he did, "I should get going." She said as Punk nodded, "I hope this wasn't weird. I just wanted to sit down and just… talk with you. I think it beats all the yelling and screaming."

"Yeah, definitely. It wasn't weird." He assured her, standing up and walking her out to the doorway, "I'm glad you came." He nodded, "For a second it felt like… nothing had even changed." He admitted as AJ smiled and nodded.

"Yeah." She agreed, "Thank you for being at the hospital with me and Alba too. I really appreciated that. I was a mess and you… calmed me down." She nodded, "Thank you." She said as Punk nodded.

"I'm just glad she's ok." He nodded as she looked up at him, "Hey you ever think…" He paused as AJ looked up at him, "Maybe… we could fix this, between us. Properly?" He asked her, taking a chance as she looked up at him. She knew what he meant, but she wasn't sure about the answer.

"I'm not sure." AJ shook her head, "I hope we can be civil." She nodded, "I'd like that. But… I don't know if we can go beyond that again. I-I don't think I would trust you the same." She admitted. She wanted to be honest with him and that was how she honestly felt.

Of course she still loved him, of course she wanted to be with him, of course she thought about him… but she couldn't forget about what he had done, and she wasn't sure if she could trust him the way she did back then after the way he left.

"Yeah, I get it." Punk nodded, "Well I… I really missed you." He said, "I'm glad you came over tonight." He said as she smiled softly and nodded.

She paused, hesitantly making a move, not sure if she should do it or not, but she did anyway and leaned up to kiss his cheek. She'd never been that close to his face in all these years and it made her heart hurt.

She hovered by his cheek for longer than she should have, but quickly pulled away and opened up the door as he sighed.

"Do you want me to walk you home?" Punk asked her as she smiled and shook her head.

"No, I'll be fine." She nodded, "I'll see you around." She said, walking out of the apartment, heading to the elevator, wondering to herself if seeing him tonight like this had only made things more confusing, because pushing aside all the hate and anger, she really did still love him and want him.

Punk closed the apartment door over and sighed to himself, rubbing the back of his neck tiredly. He wasn't sure he could be around her and train himself not to want her the way he did.


	47. So Close

**So Close**

* * *

"How'd it go with Phil?" Dean asked, sitting down on the couch in his and Renee's place whilst AJ sat on the floor with Alba, playing with the different toys she had.

"Annoyingly ok." AJ shook her head.

"Isn't that a good thing?" Dean asked her.

"Yeah, it is but… I feel like I'm even more confused." She sighed, cupping Alba's cheek softly as Alba took the block from her that she was holding.

"What are you confused about?" Dean questioned.

"How I feel." AJ said, "How I want to feel." She admitted truthfully as Dean shook his head.

"I think you're overthinking things." Dean said, "He's poured his heart out, he's said he is sorry, he means it, he still loves you… what's there to be confused about?"

"I know all of that. I'm confused as to what I want." AJ said, "Yes, I love him. I was a fool to pretend I didn't. Take away what he did, leaving, and he's the same guy I fell in love with." She nodded, "But I don't know if I could trust him or if I would be able to… be convinced by him that he really wants me." She said, "Because in the back of my mind will always be him leaving the way he did. What if he does that again? What if some job opportunity presents itself elsewhere and he takes off again?" She asked.

"April, he knows what he did hurt you, and it hurt him too. He'd never do that again. He's sorry for what he did. He's learned from what he did." Dean nodded.

"I don't even know if he wants to be with me like before. I'm different. I live with a mental illness. I have Alba. I'm poor compared to him-"

"You think any of that matters to him? If you do then you really don't know him as much as I thought." Dean said, "He loves you for you. Who you are." He nodded, "Nothing else matters to him." He said as AJ frowned.

"I wish it wasn't so complicated." AJ groaned, lying back on the floor.

"What's complicated about it?" Dean laughed whilst Alba crawled over to her mother, wondering why she was lying down, building her blocks on top of her.

"Because I don't know what he wants and I don't know what I want. I'm still so mad and scared about what he did. What if it's not the same as before?" AJ said.

"You're making up all of these problems for yourself." Dean said, "Don't overthink it."

"Overthinking is what I do." AJ reminded him as Dean nodded.

"Yeah, I know that." Dean sighed, "She's building her blocks on you." Dean said as AJ lifted her head and saw Alba putting her blocks along her stomach.

"Good, just bury me alive, baby." AJ nodded.

"Look, I already think you took a huge step by going to see him and having dinner with him." Dean said, "I bet you never thought you'd be able to do that when he first came. You're right. Once you push all that anger away, it is just you and him, and you can see how sorry he is."

"But does he even want me back? What if he just wants to apologise because he feels sorry for how tragic my life is-"

"Don't be ridiculous. Of course he wants you." Dean shook his head, "Do you want him?" He asked as AJ sighed, lying on the floor in silence whilst Alba placed all her toys around her and on top of her.

"I… yes." AJ nodded, "Yes, I do." AJ said, "But I'm scared."

"I know you are." Dean nodded, "But you know him. Probably better than anyone. He really let it all down with you. He wouldn't have done that if he didn't care. He made a mistake. We all make mistakes, right?" He said.

"Do you think I should give it a chance?" AJ asked him.

"Yeah. I wouldn't think so if you were both clearly living different lives but it's clear you're still hung up on each other. Very clear. It wouldn't be so emotional for you seeing him again." He said as AJ nodded.

"What do I even say to him?" AJ questioned.

"Just tell him how you feel. Tell him you're scared too. Be honest with him. He'll be honest with you." Dean said as AJ sighed.

She knew herself that the feelings she had for him would never really go away. She could only be mad for so long before she realised that he did make a mistake. A horrible one of course, but she did know he was sorry for it, she could see it every time in his eyes when he told her. She still loved him and she felt it was disrespectful to herself and everything she'd been through, to pretend she didn't.

"What do you think, baby?" AJ looked at Alba who was continuing to build her toys around AJ, "You think mommy should give him a chance?" She asked.

"You think mommy should get laid?" Dean asked as AJ threw a block at him, "Hey, not in front of the child." Dean gasped as Alba watched them and giggled.

"No one is getting laid." AJ scoffed, "I'm still thinking about this." She said as Dean just nodded.

"Well at least we're making progress. I feel like I'm trying to get my parents back together." He rolled his eyes as AJ laughed a little, noticing Alba take her trolley that she always pushed around.

"Hey, you are not dumping that on me." AJ said as Dean laughed to himself.

* * *

"They were having an affair." Punk said, standing in his office with Ted, "My dad was cheating on his girlfriend who he cheated with on my mom." Punk nodded, "For a guy who built a million dollar company, he sure didn't have a brain cell when it came to women." He shook his head as Ted nodded.

"Why wouldn't Laura tell you they were sleeping together?" Ted questioned.

"I don't know. Explains why she was so jumpy though." Punk nodded.

"But she has nothing to lose. It's not like it's a secret anymore. Why wouldn't she have told you?" Ted questioned as Punk shrugged.

"Maybe she's hiding something else." Punk said, "She's the only person who had a key to my dad's office. Maybe she gave it to someone. Maybe she was pissed that my dad chose his girlfriend over her. Kim said he ended things with her so… maybe she got pissed and helped whoever it was who killed him." Punk said worriedly.

"Or maybe she was just his bit on the side who knows nothing." Ted said, "Have you been looking into where the money was moved to?"

"Yeah it's some account with a weird code as the name." Punk said, "I don't know, I'd need some tech specialist to be able to trace it."

"Well then we'll get one of those." Ted nodded.

"No, I'm not doing anything illegal." Punk waved his hands.

"It's not illegal if we don't get caught." Ted smiled.

"No… no that might have been what my dad did but it's not me. I'm finding this out on my own." Punk made clear. He still heard Kim's words in his head. And he was trying hard to prove to himself more than anyone else that he wasn't destined to turn out like his father.

"Ok, calm down." Ted said, "We just gotta put our foot on the gas with this." He said.

"I wanna look to see what my dad was up to leading up to his death. Apart from him being out of town the week before, I don't know much about before. It's hard because of the turnover in staff here, I got no one to talk to about it."

"I could give you some names." Ted said, "If you want them."

"Yeah, go on." Punk nodded, grabbing a piece of paper and a pen.

* * *

"Stop coming here and eating all my damn food, Dean." Punk shook his head, walking into the living room as Dean followed with a sandwich he had made.

"I was bored waiting on you. Why are you so late?" Dean asked.

"I was working." Punk said, throwing down some paper work on the coffee table and sitting on the couch as Dean followed.

"Busy day?" Dean asked as Punk nodded, "I spoke to AJ today. She told me about your little dinner." He smiled briefly. Of course he wouldn't say what he and AJ talked about. He was loyal to AJ and his brother.

"Yeah?" Punk said, "It was nice to talk to her and not feel like a piece of shit." He nodded, "Which I know I deserved all the yelling and screaming but it… it gave me a chance to see her again. Like the April I know and love." He said, "She's so hard on herself, man. I don't get it." He sighed.

"Yeah, she is. I don't know why." Dean said, "She's done amazing, especially with everything she's gone through."

"Right." Punk nodded.

"So is this… the start of something?" Dean smiled.

"Oh, I don't know about that. I think she just wanted to talk. Still figure things out." Punk nodded, "I mean I… I still love her and I wanna be with her. Getting that chance last night to just sit and talk to her again… it was great." Punk nodded, "But I don't wanna seem like I'm forcing anything."

"You think you'll get back together?" Dean asked him.

"I honestly don't know." Punk said, "I'd love to. I've missed her and… I feel like I could do everything I could to make it up to her, maybe it would never be enough but I could try. We could really work hard to make it work again. I mean it was effortless the last time. I don't think it'll be any different now." He said, "But I'm not sure what she wants." He said as Dean nodded.

"I guess there's a lot to think about." Dean said as Punk nodded, "What's all of this?" He nodded to the paper work.

"People who used to work with dad." Punk said, "I'm trying to figure out what he was up to before he died. See who he was talking to. What he was talking about-"

"Didn't the police do all of that and find nothing?" Dean asked.

"No, they interviewed everyone the same useless questions and called it a day." Punk said, "No, I mean I want answers, specifics." Punk nodded, "Ted gave me some names and addresses to go visit." He said as Dean nodded.

"How you finding it? Have you found anything suspicious?" Dean asked.

"Well yeah, his secretary was the only person who had a key to his office, they were also having an affair." Punk said.

"What?" Dean shook his head, "He was with Kim."

"What's your point? Another one bites the dust." Punk nodded.

"Damn." Dean said, "What the hell was wrong with him?" He shook his head as Punk just shrugged.

"Anyway, I went to visit this secretary, her name is Laura, she was acting weird and jumpy, I don't know I think she knows something. I also spoke to Kim who knew about the affair at the time. Apparently dad called it off and they moved into that new house, he was supposedly trying to be a better person." Punk said.

"And then he was killed weeks later?" Dean asked as Punk nodded.

"I mean this is why I'm doing it. I wanna know who killed him. I didn't care about the company. I didn't wanna work for it." Punk said as AJ appeared, walking around the corner slowly, "I just wanna know who killed my dad, is that too much to ask for?" He said with frustration as Dean looked at AJ and cringed, "What are you-" Punk turned around, his face dropping as he saw AJ standing, "April."

AJ looked across at him, shaking her head before turning around and heading for the door.

"April, wait." Punk got up, running after her, "Wait a minute." He ran out the door into the waiting area by the elevators.

"What?" AJ turned around with a lump in her throat, "So you can lie to me some more?" She shook her head as Punk sighed.

"Just give me a minute to explain-"

"No, I gave you plenty of time to explain to me." AJ said, "And you just lied to me. You lied to me about everything. About why you left. Your reasons." She said.

"I just didn't want you involved. I was just trying to protect you." Punk said, "Please let me explain-"

"I don't wanna hear it." AJ shook her head, "I'm done with this. I'm done trying. I… I can't trust you anymore." She realised. She wasn't sure if she could trust him before, and now she felt like she definitely couldn't.

She saw the door was open to his place and could hear Dean was there. Maybe it was her bad for walking in without knocking but she was glad she did. She didn't want to be the fool in the dark. She was supposed to be that one person he could tell anything to, and she felt the complete opposite of that. She had come over to his place to talk to him, to talk about how she felt, but now… now she felt nothing.

"AJ, I'm sorry… I would have told you. I haven't told anyone." Punk shook his head.

"Stay the hell away from me, Phil." AJ snapped, pushing the elevator button, drying her tears and getting inside as Punk watched the doors close shut.

"Fuck." Punk shouted loudly, kicking the table sitting by the wall in the waiting area, running his hands over his face with frustration.


	48. No More Words

**No More Words**

* * *

"Stay away from men, baby." AJ sighed, lying on her bed with Alba sitting on her stomach, holding her hands in her own as she looked into her gorgeous brown eyes, "They're spawns of Satan." She nodded, "And they just make you cry, bottom line." She shook her head as Alba sat on her tummy.

"Promise me, you stay away from the men." AJ said in a funny voice, "Even the really cute ones with their… green eyes and… their sweet smiles." She said, in her own day-dream as Alba looked at her funnily.

"April." Kerry knocked on the door, walking into the bedroom as Alba turned around at the sound of her grandma's voice, "Oh, hi." Kerry smiled, waving to Alba who waved back adorably, "Dinner is ready." She said, "You hungry?" She asked AJ.

AJ had told Kerry all about what she'd overheard Punk and Dean talking about. A week had gone by and she had spent it in her bedroom just thinking about things.

"No, I'm ok." AJ said, sitting Alba over beside her and sitting up against the headboard as Kerry walked further into the room.

"He wants to talk to you." Kerry said, sitting down on the edge of the bed as AJ shook her head.

"You spoke to him?" AJ asked.

"He came to visit earlier when you were at work." Kerry nodded, "He just wants to explain."

"Explain what? That he lied to me? That he didn't tell me why he really left?" AJ questioned, "He lied to you too." AJ said.

"Phil lost his father. He was murdered whilst they were in the same house. He wants to know who did it and I don't blame him for that. He kept it to himself because he didn't want anyone getting involved or being in danger." Kerry said, "If you gave him a chance to explain then… then maybe you could understand from his point of view." She said as AJ just sighed.

"It's one thing after an another. What if… what if he's just not the same guy?" AJ shook her head.

"He is." Kerry nodded, "I know my son. He's the same boy that he was when he was 12. 16. 18." She nodded as AJ looked at her, "It's unfortunate that whilst he is so… undeniably in love with you, he has this obsession with finding out who killed his father." She said, "You don't blame him for that, do you?" She shook her head as AJ looked at her.

"I want honesty from him. If we don't have that… what do we have?" AJ asked, "I was ready to… to let it all down with him, to talk it through, be honest with my feelings to myself and to him and then I found out… he's been lying about why he left all this time." She said as Kerry nodded.

"He was lying to protect you." Kerry said.

"Protect me from what?" AJ shook her head.

"From what he's looking into. His father was murdered. He doesn't want you or me exposed to that. This doesn't change his feelings for you." She said as AJ placed her hand on her forehead, "You need to think about what you want. For real. Because this is starting to drain the both of you. I can see it." Kerry said, "And I won't have this little lady around anymore drama." She said, lifting up Alba from the bed as AJ sighed, "Come down and have some dinner." She said, getting off the bed and leaving the room as AJ rolled her head back and sighed.

* * *

Punk was sat on his couch, looking through more names that Ted had gave him to visit to ask about his father. He'd taken the week off work from the office. After AJ hearing him talk about his real quest when he left all those years ago, he felt like any chance he had with her had gone out the window.

He'd spoke to his mom about it and he knew AJ hadn't said much. He expected her to be mad. He wished he had just told her everything when he came back. It would have been so much easier.

He was in the middle of looking through his work when he heard a knock at the door. He got up and walked over to the doorway, opening it up as he saw AJ standing, looking up at him.

"Ok." AJ nodded, walking into the apartment as he watched her, "Ok, give me the explanation then." She said as Punk closed the door over slowly and turned to her, "Give me this explanation." She folded her arms as Punk looked across at her.

"It's late. I… I really don't want to argue. I'm tired." Punk shook his head. He didn't know how much longer he could fight with her. It was exhausting.

"I'm not here to argue." AJ shrugged.

"You are." Punk said, "I can see it, the way you're standing, you wanna fight with me and I-I'm not doing it anymore-"

"I want answers. I don't wanna fight with you." AJ shook her head, "Do you really think that? That every time I come see you I wanna fight?" She asked.

"I didn't tell you because I didn't want you involved. I'm allowed to make that decision. I didn't tell you, my mom or Dean. I wanted to keep it to myself. I didn't know what I was gonna find and if it was dangerous I didn't want you involved with it." Punk said, "But you won't believe that. You'll just think I kept it from you to hurt you." He shrugged.

"Why didn't you tell me when you had the chance?" AJ asked, "Be straight with me." She said, "I came over here to talk with you about still being in love with you, still wanting you." She said as Punk looked across at her, "And instead I find out that your reasons for leaving weren't even the truth." She said as Punk sighed.

"I don't know what else you want me to say." Punk said, "I just… wanted to keep it to myself. Do it on my own. It's why I left. I want to find out who murdered my dad in his own house. I'm allowed to feel hurt-"

"I never took that away from you." AJ said.

"Well I had to leave to figure it out. I had to leave and get into the company so I could get in with the board and start looking at things from a different point of view." Punk said, "I didn't tell you because I love you, you're the most important thing in my life, always, and I didn't want you getting hurt or being at risk of anything." Punk said, "Is that a good enough explanation for you?" Punk asked, "Do you believe me? Or do you just wanna fight?"

"I don't wanna fight with you, Phil." AJ said.

"You do. You… You radiate so much negative energy-"

"Yeah, well excuse me if I'm not jumping for joy right now after everything that has happened in the past eight years." AJ said as Punk looked across at her, "I never stopped loving you. Ever." She said, her hands deflating to her sides, "And when you've put me through so much, that's really annoying." She nodded as Punk ran his hand through his hair.

"I've apologised. I have no idea what you want me to do anymore." Punk said, "You said we're done so maybe we're done." Punk shrugged.

"So now you're just giving up?" AJ questioned.

"Well I don't know what you want, April!" Punk yelled a little, "I've fucked up. I'm not perfect. I lost the one good thing in my life and I don't think I'll get her back… I know all of that." Punk said as AJ looked across at him, watching him inch closer to her, "I have nothing left to say. There's nothing I can say anymore." He shook his head. He was being honest. He didn't know what to say.

"I wish I never met you." AJ whispered as Punk looked across at her, "Because if that meant not feeling this confusion, the pain I felt when you left, then I'd take it-"

"No you wouldn't." Punk said, walking closer to her, "You absolutely wouldn't. We had something. Something you won't find with anyone else. Ever." Punk said as she looked up at him, "There's a reason you've not moved on. A reason you hit up guys in bathroom stalls at clubs." He nodded, "It's because of me." He said as AJ glared at him, "You wouldn't change what we had for the world. You know that. I know that." He said.

"You think you know what I feel." She said quietly, looking up at him.

"I do know." Punk nodded, "I know you're nervous right now." He said as AJ gulped, feeling his body press against, "I know you want me to kiss you." He whispered, looking down at her as she shook her head.

"No I don't." AJ said, feeling her chest get tight and her breath buckle underneath her.

"You do." Punk said, not being able to say much else as he watched her lean up, pressing her lips against his for the first time in years. He swore he heard her sigh with relief into the kiss as she cupped his face and tangled her tongue with his.

He pulled her tighter than ever around the waist, stumbling back against the wall as they kissed roughly. His hands rested in her hair, kissing so deeply like they couldn't get enough. AJ couldn't think about anything other than how much she wanted this. How much she longed for it.

She pulled back from the kiss, only to lift his t-shirt from his body, aching for his lips again, about to press them against hers when she noticed the large tattoo work on his chest all the way down his arms.

She looked at it, running her hands from the bottom of his stomach, up past the ink and over his shoulders as she crashed her lips back against his. He was in phenomenal shape, and the only thing that separated him from how he was eight years ago, was his increased masculinity. He definitely wasn't a teenage boy anymore.

He picked her up, hands on her ass as she gasped into his mouth. He carried them through the apartment, around the corner past the windows and into his bedroom. He closed the door over with his foot, his tongue still busy with hers.

He placed her down on her feet at the bottom of the bed, watching her part from his lips and strip her t-shirt off. She went to push her jeans down, in a frantic hurry, so in need of him, when he took her by the wrists softly to stop her.

At first she worried that he'd changed his mind, but she realised he just wanted to take a little more part.

She watched as he placed his hands at the side of her jeans, pushing them down, kissing her body on the way down as he pushed her jeans down to her ankles. She bit her lip when she felt him kiss over her panties, smiling to herself.

She stepped out of her jeans just as he picked her up and placed her in the centre of the bed, leaning over her and pressing his lips back against hers. There was no clarification that they needed. They knew what they wanted. There was nothing left to say. There was no more apologising. No more explaining. They needed this.

Punk kissed down her jaw into the nape of her neck, cherishing every part of her body that he'd missed so much. He reached behind her back, unclasping her bra and pulling it off her as he noticed her breasts were slightly bigger than he remembered. Not thinking, he asked…

"Did you… have a boob job?" He shook his head, his eyes hazy, so caught up in the moment but still curious.

"I had a baby." AJ whispered breathlessly as he realised, smiling as he pressed his lips back against hers, kissing down her neck as he cupped her breasts, trailing his lips to her breasts as she rolled her head back and moaned, "Fuck." She bit her lip. She'd missed the way he handled her, the way he brought out unlocked feelings in her that she didn't know she had.

She felt him kiss down her body, reaching the top of her panties as he hooked his fingers at the sides and pulled them down her toned legs. He had missed her body. He had missed making her feel good.

AJ felt him part her folds, finding her clit and stroking it softly as she moaned to herself. She felt like she was eighteen again and he was her only light in life.

"Fuck, I missed you." Punk shook his head before using his mouth on her. AJ arched her back off the bed a little, feeling his tongue between her folds, sucking on her clit, teasing her entrance as she laced her fingers through his slicked back hair, making it not so slicked anymore as it fell around his face.

"Phil." AJ moaned breathlessly, "Oh my God." She moaned, letting herself go, forgetting about everything, letting him take care of her the way she'd wished for, for so long, "You're gonna make me cum." She nodded, lifting her head as she looked down at his mouth around her, so close to her release.

It didn't take her long to orgasm, he knew her body just as well as he did back then. It was like he had memorized everything that made her tick.

Punk undone his jeans as she shook and thrived under him from her orgasm, swallowing to moisten her dry throat from panting and moaning the air into her lungs. She was lost in him. Lost with him.

"Yes, baby. Please." AJ nodded, watching him push his boxers down, "I missed you so much." She cried out, wrapping her hand around his length and stroking him up and down as he moaned at her touch, leaning his forehead against hers as she pecked his lips, "I want you inside of me. Please." She said, "Please." She begged as he teased the tip of his length at her entrance before plunging himself into her.

She dug her nails into his arms, leaning her forehead on his shoulder as her body wrapped around him, her legs curved at his torso. Nothing felt as good as him because she didn't love anyone as much as him. All the lies, all the pain and sadness, all the hurt, it had disappeared. It was just the two of them and the love they had. Special as ever just like before. Nothing else mattered.

"Oh my God." AJ whispered breathlessly, her forehead still pressed against his shoulder as he moaned softly.

"You feel so fucking good." Punk said quietly to himself. He'd never forgotten how wonderful it was with her but this was a big reminder that nothing would compare.

He began moving in and out of her, sliding into her velvet walls as her body tangled around his, pressing his lips against hers roughly as she moaned into his mouth, "Fuck." AJ moaned as his lips met her cheek, kissing down her face to her neck as she rolled her head back, "God, you're the best." She whispered as he smiled to himself.

* * *

The night went on for as long as they could hold out. AJ came multiple times, ways she remembered telling him she loved. On top, from behind, anyway he could have her body as much as possible. Anyway she could feel that natural high only he could give her. It was the best.

He was sat against the headboard whilst she straddled his hips, moving up and down on him whilst his hands fixated themselves on her hips. She didn't need him to do anything, she moved with ease up and down, showing just how much she wanted him. He'd missed her. He'd missed kissing her, feeling her, watching her body. His head was on another planet tonight.

"I'm gonna cum." Punk nodded to her.

"Me too." AJ moaned, starting to feel him thrust up into her which was enough to send her over the edge, "Yes, right there. Don't stop." AJ moaned as he pumped up inside her, sending her over the edge once more as she moaned, rolling her head back as he grazed his teeth down her exposed throat, clenching around him.

"Fuck, I'm gonna cum." Punk said, thrusting up into her faster before he spilled himself inside her, grunting with every spurt he felt release as she watched him with hazy eyes, kissing the corner of his mouth as he breathed heavily.

She rested her head on his shoulder, neither of them moving from the embrace as her legs weakened around him. It was further proof they needed to know this wasn't over. Their love was very much still there and perhaps even more heated than it ever was before.

She lifted her head from his shoulder and looked at him with tired eyes as he looked up at her. She leaned forward, kissing him softly as he laced his fingers through her hair, sharing a passionate kiss.

She lifted herself up off his length as he turned her onto her back, she then watched as he proceeded to kiss her entire body, running his hands up and down her sides, leaving hot open-mouthed kisses up her body as she moaned softly.

"What are you doing?" She whispered.

"I just missed you." He said, looking into her eyes, cupping her cheek as she smiled, feeling him press his lips against hers softly. Nothing else had to be said.


	49. After

**After**

* * *

AJ woke up the next morning feeling arms wrapped around her. It was the first time she had woke up in the morning and felt at peace. Normally if she had spent the night with someone, she would have made a quick exit through the night or immediately left in the morning, but she'd never been more comfortable than in his arms.

She looked up at him, watching as he slept peacefully, her naked body tangled around his, replays of the night going on and on in her head, making her grin like a fool. She felt like a giddy teenager again. Everything that happened, all the pain and sadness, it all faded away last night. It was just the two of them in their own private world and no one could take that from them.

She looked up at him, studying his face, looking down at his body as she looked at all the tattoos on his chest and down his arms. She didn't think she could be any more attracted to him than she was before but she was proven wrong.

As much as she wanted to lie in bed all day with him and look at him sleep, she knew she had a baby to go home to and a job to be going to. She untangled herself from his body, taking his arms from around, trying not to wake him as she sat up.

He was a light sleeper and woke up immediately as she left him. He opened his eyes and watched as she got off the bed and put her underwear on, smiling to himself and stretching as AJ turned around.

"Sorry I didn't mean to wake you." AJ shook her head.

"It's fine." Punk said sleepily, "Where are you going?" He moaned.

"I need to go home and get ready for work." AJ told him, shimmying her jeans on as Punk rolled onto his back and watched her.

"Is this where you tell me this was a mistake?" He asked her as she paused and looked over at him, "Because I've made a lot of mistakes in my life." He nodded, "Last night wasn't one of them." He made clear.

He hadn't slept so good in so long. Being able to hold her and feel her close, it made him feel happy. He hadn't felt happiness like it in so long. Being with her again, finally pushing aside the anger, the tears, the drama, and just being there for one another again… he wished they had done that to begin with.

"It wasn't a mistake." AJ shook her head, picking her t-shirt up from the floor and putting it on, walking around his side of the bed and sitting down on the edge, "I finish work at 6." She said as he smiled, running his fingers up her arm as he nodded.

"I'll finish then too." Punk nodded.

"You decide when you finish?" She raised her eyebrows as he nodded, "I can… come over and we can talk about… last night." She nodded.

"What's there to talk about?" Punk smiled as she looked at him and smiled. It was hard not to. Being back in that happy place with him where it was just the two of them in their own private world, it was amazing.

"I… I don't know just… what's going on." She said. Of course there was still confusion as to what was going on with them. There was a lot to talk about. Last night they just couldn't bear to talk any longer.

"So you're coming over to talk?" Punk asked her with a smirk as she shook her head.

"Yes, Phil." AJ nodded, standing up off the bed as he took her hand and pulled her back down over his body as she laughed, looking into his eyes as he smiled. She placed a kiss on his lips as he cupped her cheek, deepening the kiss.

She desperately wanted to stay in bed, relish being with him again, but she knew she had other priorities, one which included being home to have breakfast with her daughter.

"I have to go." AJ mouthed against his lips as he eventually let her go and nodded.

"I'll see you later." He nodded, still holding her hand as she smiled, getting up from the bed, holding his hand until the last minute before she let go and left the bedroom.

He placed his hands behind his head and sighed happily. It was like so much had just built up with them that they couldn't keep up any longer. They couldn't pretend they didn't want this. They wanted it so bad and it was unfair to keep pretending they could live without one another, or be just friends. He knew it was a long path to walk. He still did what he did all those years ago and one passionate night didn't make up for that, but he was willing to work at it if it meant getting the love of his life back.

* * *

"Where were you last night?" Kerry folded her arms, sitting at the kitchen table as AJ brought Alba down with her into the kitchen.

She'd gotten home still early enough and took a shower before Alba woke up, demanding breakfast of course.

"Uh… nowhere." AJ shook her head.

"Do you think I'm stupid? I heard you come in this morning." Kerry said whilst AJ put Alba in her high chair, turning around to make up her breakfast.

"Oh, I crashed at Phil's." AJ said as Kerry raised a brow, "It got late and… you know his place is quite the walk away." She said casually.

"So you do think I'm stupid then?" Kerry said as AJ turned around to her, "You slept with him?" She nodded as AJ turned back around, cutting up more banana and shaking her head.

"No." AJ scoffed.

"Yes you did. I'm no fool." Kerry said as AJ stayed quiet, "I don't want any details of course, but can I at least ask if… if this is headed in the right direction? Finally?" She asked as AJ sat over at the table to start feeding Alba.

"I'm seeing him later." AJ shrugged, "I don't know." She said truthfully. Of course she wanted to get back together with him, but she wasn't going to jump full steam ahead just because they had a passionate night together, "We have a lot to talk about." She said, watching Alba take a piece of banana from her bowl.

"Do you know what you want?" Kerry asked her as AJ sighed.

"I know I want to be with him." AJ said, "I just… I'm scared I'm just not enough. That he'll leave again one day and I'll have no one to blame but myself for letting it happen." She said.

"April, you know he isn't like that. What happened, he's learned from it and he was caught up with this thing with his father. He was young and didn't know any better. I don't think he'd make that mistake again." Kerry shook her head, "He's at his happiest when he's with you." She nodded.

"It's not just me, though. Is it?" AJ said, "Him being with me, means he has to… accept Alba. What if he doesn't want that?" She asked.

"I don't think Alba is gonna be a problem for him." Kerry nodded, "She likes him and he'll fall in love with her. I know it." Kerry said. She predicted a lot of things and wished her children just listened to her a little more. She knew that eventually, AJ and Punk would work their way back to each other.

"I don't want to put him under pressure with it, though." AJ said.

"Of course." Kerry said, "I'm just glad that you've came around and that you've both admitted that fighting with each other is pointless." She said, "Not when you love each other so much." She said.

"Ba!" Alba yelled, looking for attention as Kerry smiled.

"Yes, exactly. You tell mommy." Kerry nodded as AJ smiled, "You tell her no more fighting, no more anger." She said as Alba banged her hands off her high chair and babbled away as AJ smiled.

"Ok, baby. I'll do what you say." AJ nodded, "Here, have some more." She coaxed her to eat more breakfast as Kerry watched. She could already see AJ in a happier, more upbeat mood. It was like all her troubles had evaporated. She just wanted them to be happy.

* * *

"You slept together?" Dean raised his eyebrows, standing in Punk's office with him as Punk scored out names on a piece of paper, "Thank God for that, I thought it would never happen." He shook his head with relief as Punk laughed a little.

"She said she's coming over later. I assume we'll talk about it. About… what's going on." Punk nodded, "I know it's not exactly changed everything but… I want to try again with her. If she gives me the chance I swear I won't mess it up." He said.

"Well you just gotta tell her that." Dean said, "Lay it all on the line. Be honest. Enough with the anger and the fighting. A clean start, right?" He said, "You think that's what she'll want?"

"I'm not sure. I don't wanna guess. From what I could see this morning she looked… happy." Punk nodded, "And that made me happy." He said, "But I also know things are different."

"Yeah." Dean nodded, "I mean I guess it's not just her anymore." He said as Punk looked up at him, "You gotta win over Alba too." He nodded as Punk looked across at him.

"Yeah, well we have a lot to talk about." Punk nodded.

He knew their lives were different now, but for some reason he'd almost blind-sided the fact that being part of AJ's life, getting back together with her, meant being a huge part of Alba's life. He didn't know much about babies and he also knew his working schedule was chaotic. He was terrified there were to many different factors getting in the way for them.

"And for the love of God, don't talk to yourselves out of this." Dean said, as though he was reading his mind, "I know you both. You're worriers. You like to worry about things and make things harder for yourselves." He said, "You'll make it work, if it's what you both want." He nodded.

"I've never wanted something so bad in my life." Punk sighed truthfully, "I've really missed her. Made me realise just how badly I fucked up." He shook his head, "And I'd never do that again. I… I want to make it work with her."

"And you will. Cancel out all the doubt. Doubt fucks up everything. Think about how things were before."

"We were kids." Punk rolled his eyes.

"But you still knew what you wanted and it worked. There was no overthinking things. You guys just went with it and it worked." Dean nodded, "I'm just glad you're both dropping everything and… admitting your feelings." Dean said, "Cause boy was I frustrated."

"You were frustrated? I was frustrated." Punk said as Dean laughed a little, "I'm not screwing this up this time. I know what I have. Nothing is gonna ruin it." He shook his head.

He was determined. He knew what he had with AJ was special. He wouldn't find it anywhere else. He realised that especially when he made the mistake of leaving her. Now he would promise to make it work with her, to be that guy for her again and love her just like he did all those years ago. He just hoped she was willing to do the same.


	50. Hope

**Hope**

* * *

Punk opened up the door later that night when he heard a knock, knowing it would be AJ, however, he wasn't greeted just by AJ but by Alba too who was in her stroller, chewing her giraffes ear and kicking her blanket around her.

"I'm sorry, your mom was out and… I had no one to watch her." AJ shook her head. It was the reality they had to face. Alba was a huge part of her life and she would always put her first, but that didn't meant this couldn't work.

"Hey, that's fine." Punk shook his head, "Come in." He nodded, opening up the door wider as AJ walked in with the stroller, "You guys ate?" He asked.

"Alba has." AJ nodded, "I gave her something quickly before coming out." She said.

"I was gonna suggest ordering a pizza if you want?" Punk asked her, watching her take Alba out of her stroller. He noticed she was wearing the jacket and hat he had bought her and it made him smile.

"Yeah, I could eat some pizza right now." AJ nodded hungrily.

"I'll phone just now. Go take a seat." Punk nodded as AJ walked on over to the couch with Alba. What she loved most was that it seemed to not phase him at all that Alba was in her life. She knew it was a big ask for him to get used to it. If they were really going to try again, in a relationship, Alba was almost like the third member and she wanted him to realise that before he jumped in. The last thing she wanted was for him to realise he signed up for something he wasn't prepared for.

"Mama brought some of your toys don't worry." AJ nodded, sitting down with Alba on her lap, taking her little jacket off as well as her beanie whilst Alba looked around, "It's nice here, huh?" AJ nodded to her, noticing she was looking at the window, "You wanna look out the window?" She asked, standing up.

She walked over to the large glass windows which looked out onto the city, lit up, attracting Alba's little eyes.

"So pretty." AJ hummed, holding Alba by her hip, looking on at her as she gazed out the window, reaching out and putting her hands on the glass, "I'm sorry we don't have this kind of view from our house." She shook her head, brushing Alba's wispy hair back, "Well… it's not even our house." She sighed.

Meanwhile Punk had called for a pizza. He didn't need to ask AJ what she wanted, he already knew. When he walked back into the living room, he saw AJ standing at the window with Alba. He could hear the baby girl babbling away, banging her hands on the window. It made him smile. She was extremely adorable and every time he saw her she was so well behaved and quiet.

"She like the view?" Punk smiled as AJ turned around.

"We both do." AJ smiled, "It's amazing." She shook her head.

"Yeah, it's nice." He said, walking over towards her, looking on at the city.

"I bet half of the price of this place is just for the view." She nodded.

"Yeah." Punk nodded, "More than half I'd say." He scratched the back of his neck.

"I'm really sorry that… I had to bring her-"

"Hey, no…" Punk shook his head, "No, don't be sorry for that. She's no problem and… you're her mom. What am I to expect?" He said as AJ smiled softly and nodded. It made her feel less self-conscious that he was so accepting of her being a mother and all the duties that came with being a mom. He was a very understanding person so she wasn't completely surprised.

"She normally doesn't kick up a fuss or anything." AJ nodded.

He could tell she was nervous about having Alba with her and he didn't want to see that.

"Hey, relax. I don't got it out for her." Punk laughed a little as AJ smiled, "She's welcome here just like you are." He nodded as AJ smiled.

"Thank you." AJ nodded, walking over to the couch with him, "I have some toys for her, she'll just play away." AJ said, sitting Alba down on the floor whilst disappearing around the corner to get the toys from the bottom of the stroller.

Punk looked down at Alba who was sitting quietly waiting on her mother returning. He couldn't get over how sweet and adorable she was. She wasn't screaming or clingy like he always thought babies were. And she had the most gorgeous eyes and sweetest face.

"Here, baby." AJ said, walking back into sight as Alba smiled. AJ sat down her blocks and some of her other toys.

"She's pretty quiet." Punk said as AJ sat down beside him, not too close but not too far either.

"Yeah, she's been like that since she was a baby. I went to this mom and baby class after I had her, after I got better from the little episode I had. Your mom thought it'd be good for me and for her." AJ nodded, "When I went I heard of some of the moms getting like… one hour sleep every day. I realised how lucky I was with her." AJ said as Punk nodded, watching Alba throw a block over and then crawl over to get it.

"She really looks like you." Punk nodded as AJ smiled.

"Is that a good thing?" AJ laughed a little.

"Yeah." Punk said as AJ smiled, "Just so we're clear and I'm not keeping things from you, Dean knows about last night. He came to see me this afternoon and he got it out of me-"

"Your mom got it out of me." AJ smiled a little.

"They're so annoying." Punk rolled his eyes as AJ nodded.

"I think they just see all of this from a different point of view. Your mom just wants us to be happy." AJ shrugged, "And… she knows that we're happiest when we're with each other." She said as Punk nodded.

"I just don't wanna fight with you. I love you too much." Punk said, "It kills me every time we raise our voice at one another cause… that's not us." He shook his head, "I know what I did was wrong. I would take it all back in a heartbeat. I honestly would. Because once I left I… I knew what I was missing." He said, "Last night, I realised what I was missing." He said as AJ nodded.

"I don't wanna fight anymore." AJ agreed, "Your head was in a different place back then." AJ said, "I can't hold it against you forever. I'd be really bitter and… miserable if I did." She said, "And if you're doing it to… find out who murdered your dad then… I get that must be hard. It must be something you really wanna find out." She said, "I would too." She nodded.

"Yeah." Punk nodded, "It is." He said, "I spent all this time getting trained, learning how the business works so I can get in with the right people to access the right things and look into it." He said, "I might not have been close to my dad and he might not have been any sort of dad to me but… I still want to know. This was personal. The reason I didn't tell you, or anyone, was because I was scared of what I might find and if… it put anyone in danger." He said.

"Are you in danger?" AJ questioned.

"Honestly, I'm not getting that far with it. It's been slow going. It happened so long ago that it's a little harder to get information out of people but I'm… I'm moving through it slowly." He nodded.

"What are you gonna do if you find something?" AJ asked, "Take it to the police?" She assumed.

"Not until I'm really sure." Punk said as AJ nodded.

"What does Dean think about all of this?" AJ asked him.

"He… well he doesn't seem all that fussed, to be honest." Punk said, "I don't know, I think I gave my dad more of a chance than he did." He shrugged, "Wait here, I want to show you something." He said, standing up and heading away out of the living room as AJ watched, looking over to Alba who was playing happily with her toys, causing her to smile.

"What's that?" AJ questioned as Punk came back into the living room with a piece of paper.

"This was the letter my dad sent me." Punk said, sitting back down beside her and passing it to her as she read it.

She read each line and knew that it had a lot of love written between the lines. She didn't believe it was fair that his father had asked him to find out who moved the money and who essentially killed him, but she could see why he would have been swayed to do so.

"You could have just ignored it." AJ said.

"I could have." Punk nodded, "I was gonna but the more I read it and thought about it, the more it began to bug me." He said, "And I knew you were going to college and moving out. I don't know I just… I started to doubt us and I never should have done that." He said as AJ nodded.

"Yeah moving out for college didn't go to plan for me, did it?" AJ laughed a little.

"You still got your degree, even with what you went through. That's amazing." Punk said, "Give yourself some credit." He nodded.

"Yeah, I know." AJ said, "I think having something to focus on through my recovery was really important." She nodded, "It was almost like therapy in a way." She said.

"You go to therapy, right?" He asked her.

"Every Thursday." AJ nodded, "Is that weird?" She looked away from him.

"No." Punk said immediately, "No I think it's brave. I… I think we'd all be a lot nicer to each other if we all went to therapy." He said as she nodded.

"I didn't think it would help me but… it really does. Just having that hour to talk. Get things out your system. I would recommend it to the sane people too." She smiled as Punk laughed a little.

"And you take medication?" Punk asked.

"Yeah." AJ nodded, "Sometimes it… makes me sleepy but apart from that it… I guess it just balances things out for me." She said, "It's like I'm some creature that… needs treatment. Like a… caged dog or something." She rolled her eyes as Punk shook his head.

"No it's not." Punk said, "I think it's way braver to get help and do what you're doing than… to say nothing and let it control your life." He said, "You're still the strongest person I know." He shook his head as AJ smiled, tucking her hair behind her ear just as the pizza man knocked on the door, "Good, I'm starving." Punk got up as AJ smiled.

* * *

They had pizza and continued to talk about their lives, to really help each other understood how things had changed. AJ didn't feel uncomfortable, in fact, she felt strangely comfortable. She thought it would be awkward after spending the previous night together but it absolutely wasn't.

"I'm stuffed." AJ laughed a little, rolling her head back on the couch as Punk closed over the pizza box on the coffee table and nodded.

"Me too." Punk nodded, "Best pizza in town." He said.

"No way." AJ said, "La Vita is the best. Around the corner from your mom's. The one we ordered from all the time." She said as he nodded with a fond smile.

"New York pizza is pretty good." He nodded as she smiled.

"You like it there?" She asked, grabbing a napkin and wiping her hands as he nodded.

"Yeah it was good. I learned a lot. Met nice people. I felt like I threw myself in the deep end when I went but… Ted really took care of me." Punk said.

"Your dad's friend?" AJ asked as Punk nodded, "He's the one who trained you into the business?"

"Yeah." Punk said, "Smart guy." He nodded, "But I don't know. He's got a wife, three kids. He barely sees them. That… that couldn't be me." He said as AJ nodded.

"Family is important." She said as he nodded, "We don't have to talk about… what's going on with us. I think we know what's going on. I… haven't felt like I felt last night in a long, long time." She said, "And I'm not just meaning the sex." She said, "I felt… happy. Loved. Safe." She raised her eyebrows, "I think me being mad with you and angry was a way to make sure I didn't remember how much I loved being with you." She said as he nodded, "But I do remember and… I want to make this work. I thought it would be weak of me to give in and let myself go there with you again but it's what I want and I shouldn't… stop myself from that." She said as he nodded.

"I promise you, if you give me a chance I won't… I won't mess it up." He said.

"And my life is different from yours. I can't just escape my place at 1am and come over to spend the night. I have a baby." She said, "And she… she needs routine. I know that might not be all that attractive but-"

"Hey, I'll work around her if it means getting to see you." He smiled, turning around to Alba as they noticed she was gone, "Where'd she go?" Punk laughed a little as AJ stood up, looking over and smiling as she saw Alba sitting at the window just staring out, "She really likes that view." Punk laughed a little as AJ smiled.

"Yeah." AJ nodded with a smile as Punk turned to her.

"We don't gotta rush this at all. We don't even need to put a… status on what this is. I just know I want you in my life and I'm sorry for not realising just… how important you were to me." He said, "I will try so hard to make it up to you, any way I can." He said as AJ smiled, looking up at him and nodded.

She leaned up and pressed a kiss on his lips softly. Gentle and sweet, caressing his cheek as he kissed her back sweetly.

"Stay the night." Punk took her hand in his as she looked up at him.

"I have Alba." AJ looked up at him.

"You can put her down in the spare room." He said, "And I have those diapers from when you both crashed a few weeks ago." He nodded, holding her hands in his as AJ looked over at Alba watching the busy city.

"Ok." AJ nodded, looking up at him and leaning up to his lips again, kissing him softly.

* * *

 **A/N: Oh but will it be smooth sailing? Who knows. Let me know what you think and thanks for all the reviews!**


	51. Accepting

**Accepting**

* * *

"Oh God… fuck." AJ moaned breathlessly, feeling Punk thrust in and out of her from behind her, lying on her side whilst he lay on his directly behind her. She backed into his body as he held her leg up a little, thrusting into her slowly and deep.

"You feel so good." Punk moaned in her ear, kissing her neck as AJ cupped his cheek behind her.

"Harder." AJ gasped, clutching the sheets in front of her as she felt him behind to thrust into her harder, hitting her g-spot, "Yes, just like that." She moaned with ecstasy. She felt herself slipping away into another planet. Being with him felt like being in the clouds, with no worries or problems. It was like a drug. A drug she had missed using.

"Yeah, you like that?" He whispered in her ear, "You like that?" He nuzzled her neck, kissing her pulse point as he thrust into her deep and hard, placing his hand over her body and cupping her breast as she bit her lip and rolled her head back against his chin.

"Yes, baby. Don't stop." AJ moaned, "I'm gonna cum." She panted.

"Cum for me." He said, tangling his hand down to her centre, finding her clit and stroking in fast circles whilst pounding into her, the sound of skin slapping skin filling the air merged with moaning and groaning.

"Fuck yes keep doing that." AJ moaned, grabbing his hip behind her. He knew her body so well, what made her tick, he certainly hadn't forgot that was for sure. She felt taken care of. Like no one else could know her the way he knew her like this. So close and intimately.

AJ eventually tipped over the edge, feeling her muscles contract against him as she moaned out loudly, burying her face into the pillow beneath her, gripping the sheets tightly as her whole body shook.

Punk smiled as he watched her, kissing her shoulder whilst slowly thrusting in and out of her, watching her come down from that ultimate high.

It didn't take him long before he felt himself reach his peak, thrusting into her fast-paced again as AJ moaned.

"Fuck I'm gonna cum." Punk moaned in her ear.

"Yes, give me it." AJ moaned, cupping his cheek as Punk tipped over the edge and spilled himself inside of her, moaning as she watched him, feeling his seed spurt inside of her.

"Fuck." Punk gasped, running his hand through his hair, pulling out of her as AJ smiled, shifting onto her back and looking at him. She then watched as he leaned forward, kissing her softly as she kissed back, cupping his cheek, feeling him kiss down her jaw to her neck as she smiled.

He still gave her goose bumps and made her feel like the only girl in the world. She'd missed that feeling. She'd missed his company more than anything.

Punk kissed her neck, kissing down her body, using his mouth on her breasts as she moaned, looking down at him as he looked so lost in her body. There'd be no one in life she could meet that would compare to the way he made her feel. That was a contributing factor to her going with her feelings and giving him another chance. She was nervous, of course. Things weren't the same. But when it was just the two of them, together, alone, like this… it felt like nothing had changed at all.

Punk kissed his way down her body, not getting enough of it. He'd missed not just their intimate moments together but just having her with him. Someone to talk to. Someone to comfort and seek comfort in. He couldn't describe how thankful he was to be given this chance. He wouldn't mess it up for the world.

"Don't you have work in a few hours?" AJ whispered, feeling him kiss down her stomach.

"What about it?" Punk mumbled, way more interested in her and pleasing her.

AJ smiled, watching as he parted her legs, using his mouth on her as she moaned softly, feeling his tongue find her clit, running his hands up her torso as she arched her back a little.

She was so lost in pleasure that it took a few seconds for her to realise Alba was crying from the next room, opening up her eyes and sitting up as Punk paused.

"Is she alright?" Punk wondered as AJ got off the bed, grabbing his t-shirt from the floor and shoving it on, rushing out of the bedroom and heading into next doors bedroom.

AJ had made a little pillow fort around Alba when she put her down earlier after deciding to stay the night with Punk. The baby girl was comfy as ever and fell asleep right away in her little vest and diaper, but something had clearly woken her up.

"Hi, baby. What is it?" AJ cooed, lifting Alba up into her arms, "What's wrong with my baby, huh?" She asked, cupping the back of her head as Alba whimpered, "Are those little teeth bothering you? Is that it?" She asked softly, bouncing her lightly in his arms, "Or you just want a cuddle?" She kissed the side of her head.

She walked out of the room and back into Punk's bedroom where he was lying on his side, looking through his phone, looking up when he saw her come in.

"I think she just wants a cuddle." AJ admitted, "Do you mind?"

"No I don't mind." Punk said. He hated that she felt a little awkward around him with Alba. He didn't want her to feel that way, "Is she ok?" He sat up a little whilst AJ sat down on the bed beside him, lying down half way and cuddling Alba into her as the baby girl looked over at Punk.

"Yeah, she's fine. Might just be a strange place that woke her up." AJ figured, "Or her teeth. She's teething right now." She said, watching Alba sit up on her, positioning herself on her mother's stomach as she looked around the room, "Hey, don't be going crazy on us. It's too late." AJ said, holding Alba's small hands in hers.

Punk smiled as he watched Alba lay back down into AJ's chest. It didn't take one to figure out how much Alba loved her mother, and how much AJ loved Alba. It was the sweetest thing he'd ever saw. So pure and innocent.

"How'd you come up with her name?" Punk asked.

"Well I wanted a name beginning with A." AJ nodded, "And I wanted a short name for her, but something that was still different. I just looked through a lot of books." AJ laughed a little, "It's cliché but when I saw Alba written down I just… I knew it was for her." She said as Punk smiled.

"Was it scary? Giving birth?" Punk asked as AJ nodded.

"Not knowing what to expect was the scariest part. It wasn't as bad as people make it out to be. It was all over pretty fast and… it was worth it." She said, looking down at Alba who was resting her head on his chest.

Alba then sat back up and climbed off from her mother and over to Punk, sitting down beside him and touching his arms.

"Can I help you?" Punk smiled to her as Alba looked up at him sweetly. She had the most innocent eyes, and looking into them, he knew that he'd protect her just like he would her mother. She wasn't any sort of challenge or inconvenience to him. She was like a sweet little bonus. A little mini April that he could get to know and love.

"She likes the colours." AJ realised as Alba was looking at his tattoos, climbing onto his stomach and sitting on him.

"You like my ink?" Punk asked her, "You like the colours?" He asked her, "Look, follow the snake." He said, taking her little finger and swirling it around the snake on his chest.

AJ watched as Alba smiled. There was nothing better than seeing the man she loved be sweet to her daughter. She didn't doubt he wouldn't be, but seeing it in front of her eyes was the best thing she could hope for.

"Do it again?" Punk asked her, taking her finger and swirling it around the snake tattoo as Alba giggle which made Punk smile.

"She's really into shapes and colours right now." AJ nodded.

"I can see that." Punk laughed a little, "She's sweet as hell." Punk smiled, looking on at Alba as AJ smiled. She knew it would have been very easy for him to tell her he wasn't prepared to take on dating her with Alba's needs coming before him, but instead he looked like he was embracing it.

"Ba!" Alba exclaimed, "Ba ba… ba…" She mumbled away to herself.

"Tell me more." Punk nodded as she continued to talk nonsense to him as AJ smiled to herself.

"I'm gonna… go to the toilet." She said, getting off the bed and heading into the huge bathroom inside the bedroom, listening as Alba continued to exclaim her non-existent words whilst Punk listened to her.

She fixed herself in the toilet before standing at the door, watching as Punk played with her, counting all her fingers with her as Alba watched him, doing little things that he knew would fascinate her.

He was a natural and it didn't even seem like he was trying at all. And she could see Alba was completely comfortable with him.

"Are you making sure all her fingers and toes are still on?" AJ walked further into the room, getting into the bed beside him again as Punk nodded.

"Just checking." Punk nodded.

He then watched as Alba suddenly began counting his fingers. Not literally, but she began touching each one the way he had done with her.

"Yeah… 3… 4…" Punk counted with her as she touched each finger.

"She's never done that." AJ shook her head as Punk smiled.

Alba then crawled back off of him and over to her mother whom she of course felt the most comfortable with.

"Now she's bored of me." Punk smiled, watching as AJ scooped her up into her arms.

"No, I think she's just tired." AJ said as Punk smiled.

"Yeah, her eyes are going." Punk nodded as he watched Alba's eyes opening and closing as she fell back asleep in her mother's arms.

"I'm gonna go put her back down." AJ said as Punk nodded, watching her get up and walk back out of the bedroom.

AJ put Alba down amongst the little pillow fort after getting her back to sleep, leaving the room and heading back into Punk's.

"Sometimes she just wakes up for a cuddle." AJ nodded, getting back into bed beside him, "You're good with her." She looked up at him.

"Oh, I don't know about that." Punk said modestly.

"You are." AJ nodded.

"I think she likes my windows better." He said as AJ laughed and nodded.

"Yeah, maybe." She agreed with a smile, looking up at him as he smiled to her. In just a few days she felt an increased level of happiness. One that she hadn't felt in so long. Still having that love for one another, even with changes in their life, and even with all the things that happened, it was definitely a sign for her that it was meant to be.

"Where was I…" Punk hummed, rolling over on top of her as she giggled, feeling him scoot her down by the hips as he disappeared under the sheets.


	52. Hard On Yourself

**Hard On Yourself**

* * *

"Morning." Punk smiled, kissing AJ softly as she woke up, looking on at him sat on the edge of the bed, dressed for work, "Breakfast." He nodded, sitting down the brown paper bag on the bedside cabinet along with a coffee.

"I… I'll get dressed and leave. You should have woke me." AJ shook her head as Punk placed his hand on her arm.

"No, take your time. I stuck my head in next door, Alba is still sleeping." He said, "Here's a spare key I keep. Just lock the door on your way out." He said, sitting the key down by the breakfast as AJ looked at it.

"You didn't have to go out and get me breakfast." AJ shook her head but with a smile, sitting up against the headboard.

"I wanted to." Punk said, "I wish I could stay a little longer with you but… I gotta go." He said as AJ nodded, "Just lock up when you leave and… I'll speak to you later." He said, leaning forward and kissing her again.

He was taking every opportunity to remind himself that she was here with him and he was getting a second chance with this. He didn't want to mess it up.

AJ reached to the breakfast beside her, looking into the bag and smiling, "You got my favourite." She noticed with a smile.

"Yeah." Punk nodded, "And hey, there's stuff in my fridge, if you wanna fix something for Alba, I don't know what she eats so I didn't get her anything." He said, "But seriously, you don't have rush away." He said as she smiled softly.

"Thank you." AJ nodded, "Maybe I could… see you later?" She said as he nodded.

"Yeah, I'd like that." Punk said, "Enjoy." He said, standing up off the bed as AJ smiled, watching as he left the room and headed off to work.

She wondered if life would have felt as sweet as this if they stayed together. Being woken up with breakfast and a kiss from him. It seemed too good to be true. She didn't want to feel like some damsel in distress who needed saving for eight years, but having him around again brightened her day up ten full. And she saw how he was with Alba last night. He really embraced her being there and it was all AJ could have asked for in a partner.

She knew they were taking things one step at a time. Figuring things out slowly. But she knew this was always going to be inevitable. Even with the heartbreak he had caused her and all the pain and sadness she felt. She was confident for the first time that they could get through it.

* * *

"I didn't know you were taking Alba." Kerry said once AJ got home later on, "I got a fright last night when I came home and I didn't see you both." She said whilst AJ was folding up some clothes in her bedroom whilst Alba was fast asleep.

"We just ended up staying." AJ nodded.

"Mhm." Kerry said, folding her arms, "Moving quick, aren't we?" She raised a brow as AJ turned to her.

"You think so?" AJ questioned.

"Yeah well you hated him last week and now… now it's all sunshine and rainbows." Kerry said, "What's changed?"

"Nothing has changed. I never hated him." AJ said, "I was stuck on this idea that if I… got back with him, if I gave things a chance with us, that I would look weak and desperate." She shook her head, "But I don't and I don't care what other people think of me either." AJ shook her head, "I love him. I always have. Even after him leaving. I still loved him." She said as Kerry smiled, "And I'm never gonna find anyone better." She shook her head, "I'm not punishing myself anymore for still being in love with him."

"No of course not." Kerry said, "No one thinks you're weak for letting yourself go there with him again. You love him, there's nothing wrong with that." She said, "I just want to see you happy. Both of you." She nodded.

"I am… I'm happiest when I'm with him. I was trying so hard to avoid that. When he came back I thought all those feelings would have disappeared but they are… still very much there." She nodded as Kerry smiled.

"Do what you want to do. Go with your feelings and don't listen to what anyone else says." Kerry nodded as AJ smiled, "Were you off work today?" She asked.

"Yeah it was my day off." AJ nodded, "I was gonna see Phil later but… I have some work to do and I'm pretty exhausted. It's just a little more difficult now that we don't have all the time in the world." She admitted.

"Yes you do." Kerry nodded, "You do have time. You have busy lives but… I'm sure you'll figure it out. Don't talk yourself out of it. Take one step at a time like you said, and it'll fall into place." She said as AJ smiled and nodded.

"I hope so." AJ said, "I'm gonna go check on dinner." She said as she left the room.

* * *

Punk was in his office until late on. He'd got a text from AJ telling him she was going to pass on seeing him tonight as she had some work of her own to do, and he could only imagine the exhaustion she felt taking care of a one year old. He politely text back, not wanting to rush anything anyway, and said he would stop by later on in the week to see her.

He was glad he was getting this chance with her. She was almost like his escape. During this busy working life, knowing he could see her and all the stress he was under could just melt away was great. He'd missed her so much. He'd missed holding her, being able to talk to her, and he was glad he was getting this chance with her.

"How are things coming along?" Ted walked into the office.

"Uh… fine." Punk grumbled a little, "So I've spoken to those people that you gave me a list of. Some I met with, some on the phone… none of them saw anyone suspicious going into his office around the time of his death." Punk nodded, "So what if… what if they didn't have to come into his office to move the money?" He asked.

"They'd have to be really smart to hack the company's system. I'm talking… extremely smart." Ted said.

"Smart enough to carry out a murder and not get caught?" Punk questioned, "No one knew a thing." He sighed, starting to get frustrated, "What if it has nothing to do with the company? His death, I mean." He looked up at Ted.

"Your dad wouldn't have left that letter for you. He knew that money was being moved. He knew someone was in his files and tampering with stuff. Essentially trying to sabotage the company." Ted said, "It's gotta be connected." He nodded, "Have you spoke to Laura again?" He asked.

"Why would I speak to her again?" Punk asked.

"Well maybe now you know about the affair, she might open up more." Ted said, "I mean you said she was jumpy. Maybe there's a reason. If she was close with your dad, maybe he told her stuff." He said as Punk sighed.

"I highly doubt my dad's bit on the side is gonna know anything about this." Punk shook his head.

"She might very well." Ted said as Punk sighed and sat back on his chair, "Putting all of that aside for a second, I need you to go to the rooftop party next weekend. Macks Company is holding it, I want you to talk to some other traders and get the scope." Ted nodded.

"Why can't you go?" Punk whined a little, "I hate parties."

"I'm not the one running the damn place. You are." Ted said as Punk looked across at him, "It comes with the job. You could even take your new girl." He smiled as Punk laughed a little.

"I don't have a new girl." Punk scoffed.

"You're tired and cranky. I've seen your apartment. The only way you're not getting any sleep is if you have company all night." Ted said as Punk shook his head.

"It's none of your business, Theodore." Punk said with a smile, "I'll go to the party for an hour." He nodded, "Maybe." He shrugged.

"No, you will go." Ted said, "Charm people the way you're so disgustingly good at." He nodded as Punk just smiled, "And then you can resume with all of this stuff." He said.

"I'm afraid I'll lose my mind before I figure out who killed him." Punk admitted, "There's absolutely nothing to go by. Everything is the way it's supposed to be." He sighed to himself.

"Take it easy on yourself, kid." Ted nodded, "Don't overthink it all. One piece at a time." He said, "Don't work yourself into the ground."

"Yeah well I try not to." Punk sighed as Ted nodded.

"Yeah, I know you do." Ted said, "Still working on that anger? I don't have to make you see a therapist again, do I?"

"No." Punk said briefly, "I'm fine." He nodded to him, "You check in on me too much. You can always call."

"Yeah well I like to make sure you're ok with my own eyes. You're a young guy with a huge weight on your shoulders. It can't be easy. I don't want you to break." He said as Punk nodded.

"I'm fine." Punk assured him. Any time he did feel the pressure and the weight of the company on him, he thought of AJ. She was his stress relief. Being with her again made him feel like he could do anything. It healed him from any distress he was in. Any fear and worries he had, she made them all go away. She was his secret weapon at life, for sure.

"Good." Ted nodded, "I'll let you get to it. Don't be staying too late." He said whilst leaving the office as Punk just nodded, leaning back on his chair and yawning.

* * *

Later that night, Punk left the office and felt like stopping by to see his mom. It also meant he could see AJ of course.

"Hey, how are you?" Punk hugged his mother.

"Oh, I'm alright." Kerry smiled, "You? I hope that's not you just getting home from work." Kerry looked at the clock which read 11pm.

"Yeah, it is." Punk nodded, "It's not always like this. I've just been busy." Punk said as Kerry just hmmd, not happy at all, "AJ around?" He asked her.

"She's in bed." Kerry said, "She's been tired. Wanted to get an early night. The little one can be a handful at times." She nodded.

"Right." Punk nodded. He could only imagine how hard it was to balance working and being a full-time mom. She amazed him.

"You want me to tell her you dropped by?" Kerry asked him.

"Oh, no it's fine. I was coming to see you actually but I thought I'd say hello." He said.

"Say hello to your girlfriend." Kerry teased as Punk shook his head.

"I don't know about that just yet." Punk said, "We're not putting a label on things just yet."

"Oh, I know." Kerry said, "I'm just happy that you guys aren't fighting anymore. It killed me to see you both like that, especially when I know how much you care about each other." She nodded, "April is so hard on herself and her feelings. It's like she doesn't let herself feel things anymore." She shook her head.

"Yeah, I know." Punk nodded, "I guess it's down to what I did. Leaving. Not being there for her. She's allowed to feel that way. I know it's gonna take some time for us to… get back to the way we were." He said, "But… I'm already happy with her."

"She seems a lot happier too." Kerry nodded, "I just want the best for you both, honestly." She shook her head as Punk smiled.

"I know you do." Punk nodded, giving her a warm hug, just as Kerry's phone began to vibrate over on the kitchen counter.

"Oh. Who is that?" Kerry shook her head with confusion, walking over and seeing it was Renee, "Renee." She said, puzzled, answering the phone whilst Punk stood over by the door, "Hi, Renee." Kerry said, "Wait, slow down." She shook her head whilst Punk looked over.

He watched as the colour drained out of his mother's face, starting to get nervous as she looked like she didn't know what to say or do with herself.

"Uh… I'll… I'll be right there." Kerry shook her head, putting her phone down and placing her hand over her mouth.

"Mom, what is it?" Punk shook his head worriedly.

"Dean was in a car accident. He-He's in hospital." Kerry shook her head as Punk looked across at her.


	53. Together

**Together**

* * *

"Where is he?" Punk approached Renee who was waiting in the hospital corridor.

"I… he-he's in surgery. They… They couldn't get bleeding to stop and I… they haven't told me anything." Renee shook her head, her hands shaking as Kerry gave her a hug whilst Punk looked down the corridor.

"Phil." Kerry gritted her teeth as she watched her son wander away down to the desk.

"Excuse me." Punk stood at the desk as the nurse stood on the phone, putting her finger up to him, asking him to hold just a minute, "No, get off the phone." Punk spat as the woman looked at him, cutting her phone call short and hanging up, "My little brother, his name is Dean Ambrose, he's in surgery." Punk said, "Can you… can you tell me what's going on with him?"

"I won't know anything until he's out of surgery. Please calm down." The nurse encouraged, "Please, take a seat and the doctor will speak to you." She nodded as Punk ran his hand through his hair, taking a deep breath and walking away down the corridor to where Renee and Kerry were standing.

"They don't know shit." Punk said anxiously, looking at Renee, "What did they say to you?"

"That he was in a car accident and he was in hospital." Renee nodded, still in Kerry's arms, "He must have been on his way home from work." She shook her head.

"They didn't tell you his injuries?" Punk shook his head.

"I just got here." Renee shook her head as Punk placed his hand on his forehead, looking down the corridor as he watched two police officers walk down, one which seemed familiar, realising as he got closer as it was Drake, the police officer who investigated his father's murder.

"And so we meet again." Drake nodded as Punk looked across at him.

"What happened?" Punk asked him as Drake looked across at him.

"Hit and run." Drake said, "The car that drove into Dean made sure it was on a side road. Dean's car rotated and it looks like he wasn't wearing a seat belt either." Drake said as Kerry placed her hand over her mouth, "The other car was abandoned. No one was there when we got to the scene." He said as Punk shook his head.

"So this was deliberate? That's what you're saying?" Punk asked.

"It's looking that way, yeah." Drake nodded as Punk shook his head, running his hands over his face.

"Uh… is this Dean Ambrose family?" A doctor crept up behind as they turned around.

"We'll take later." Drake nodded, leaving down the corridor whilst they turned the attention to the doctor.

"Who here is family?" The doctor asked.

"We all are." Kerry said, "I'm his mom. Tell me, is he alright? Is he going to be ok?" She asked.

"I'm Doctor Kent. Dean is out of surgery. We managed to get the blood to stop which is a good thing." The doctor nodded, "We're worried about Dean's head, we believe it took most of the impact and we won't know anything until he… responds and wakes up." The doctor nodded, "He's in ICU just now, we only allow two visitors at a time." He nodded to them.

"Can you tell us anything else?" Punk asked with frustration, "Other than you basically don't know if he's gonna be ok."

"The reason we believe his head took most of the impact is because he doesn't have any other injuries that we've been able to identify. No broken bones." The doctor nodded, "I know this must be a stressful time. We're doing everything we can to help him. He's in the best place right now." He said.

"Thank you, doctor." Kerry nodded as the doctor smiled and walked away to attend to other duties.

"I want to see him." Renee said eagerly.

"You two go in." Punk nodded to them, rubbing the back of his head, "I can go in after." He assured them, placing his hand on his mom's shoulder as Kerry took a deep breath. It was terrifying to know he was in a bad way, for all of them.

"I'll give you my phone. If April calls then answer and tell her what's going on." Kerry said as Punk nodded, taking the phone from his mother as her and Renee headed down the corridor.

Punk walked back down to where Drake was standing with the other police officer.

"How's he doing?" Drake asked Punk.

"They think he's gonna have damage to his head." Punk nodded, "It's not looking good." Punk said as Drake sighed, "So… if you're here to question him, I think it's gonna be a little while for that." He said.

"No, but we can ask you some questions." Drake said as Punk nodded, "Coffee? You look like you need it." He said as Punk nodded.

* * *

AJ woke up, intentionally for work when she noticed Kerry was gone. She called her immediately where Punk answered and explained to her what was going on. She felt numb and she had no idea what to say. She just knew she wanted to be with her family.

She called into work and got herself and Alba ready, jumping on the next bus to the hospital and heading into the café where Punk told her he was.

"Thank you." AJ nodded to a kind lady who held the door opened for her as she pushed the stroller into the café, spotting Punk sitting with what looked to be a cop. She walked down the row of tables and chairs, getting to the table as Punk immediately stood up and embraced her.

She immediately let go, having kept herself together the entire morning until getting into his arms, where she knew it was safe to feel upset and let herself go.

"It's alright." Punk nodded, rubbing her back softly and hugging her tightly, sighing to himself, "It's ok." He soothed as she tried to get herself together, drying her eyes and pulling back from the hug.

"How is he? What-what even happened?" AJ shook her head, it was happening all so quick for her.

"They think it was a hit and run." Punk nodded, "He was hit off the road. And you know Dean never wears a seat belt." He shook his head, "He was found outside the car." He said as AJ placed her hands over her mouth, "The other car was abandoned there with no one in it."

"Who would do such a thing?" AJ shook her head.

"We've been talking about that." Drake said as AJ turned around to him, barely taking notice, "Hi, April. I'm Drake, I was-"

"You lead their dad's case. I remember." AJ sniffled, fixing her puffy eyes as Drake nodded, "You have any idea who would do this?"

"No. Seems very personal and deliberate so… chances are Dean and quite possibly you both would know who it was. It's a tricky road with no cameras around, no houses or built-up area." Drake said, "They definitely picked their right spot intentionally." Drake said as AJ shook her head.

Meanwhile Punk had crouched down in front of the stroller where Alba was sitting, holding onto her giraffe, looking around nosily at everything. He needed a distraction and she was perfect.

"Hi." Punk smiled, taking a hold of her small hand as she grabbed his three fingers and shook his hand about, "Hey." Punk nodded whilst AJ looked down and smiled, "You're so good." He shook his head. She was as quiet as a mouse, content and happy just sitting and looking around at everything.

"I didn't know you guys had a baby." Drake smiled, turning his head around a little to look on at Alba.

"We don't." AJ said, sitting down at the table, "She's… just mine." AJ nodded to him.

"Oh, you-you two aren't together?" Drake wondered, "I thought you were dating."

"No." AJ shook her head, "Well…" She turned back to Punk, not really sure what they were doing in all honesty, "It's complicated." She said as Drake nodded.

"Ahh, one of those ones." Drake said, "Well she's adorable." He said, "What's her name?"

"Alba." AJ smiled, looking on at Alba who was giggling at Punk as he made funny faces at her. She knew from experience that even just a small smile from Alba really made the difference to her mood, and she could see it was doing the same for Punk.

"Sweet." Drake nodded to her.

"How are you gonna go about looking into this?" AJ asked him whilst Punk sat back up at the table to join the conversation, sitting beside AJ who he felt put her hand on his thigh underneath to comfort him.

"Well we'll see where Dean's whereabouts were last night. Ask around. See who he came into contact with at the time. We also might need to ask you both a couple of questions and Dean's mom but… just so we can build a case." He assured them, "Do you guys know of anyone who… he's crossed paths with that would wanna do something like this? I know it's so absurd and drastic but… you never know with people these days." Drake shook his head.

"He's not a seedy guy." Punk said, "He's to and from work every day. He doesn't get into trouble." Punk shook his head as AJ nodded in agreement.

"Seems about right." Drake nodded.

"Where is your mom and Renee?" AJ turned to Punk.

"They're in visiting him just now in ICU. It's only two visitors at a time so I let them go on in." Punk nodded, "They said they wouldn't know anything about his condition until he woke up." He said as AJ sighed.

"Keep your heads up." Drake nodded, feeling his phone vibrate in his pocket as he answered, "Sure, I'll be right there." Drake said, standing up as he hung up on the call.

"What is it?" Punk asked.

"They've found something at the scene." Drake said.

"What'd they find?" Punk asked, "I'll come with you." He stood up.

"No, you're not a damn cop." Drake said, "You stay here and be with your family. I will call you as soon as I have information. You know I will." He told him as Punk sighed, sitting back down, "Stay strong." He nodded, leaving the café as Punk ran his hands over his face.

"I can't believe this." AJ sighed, leaning her head on his shoulder as he nodded, "Who would want to do something like this? Deliberately?" She shook her head, "It's evil." She said, looking over at Alba who was stretching out of her stroller, "Oh, you dropped your giraffe?" AJ noticed as Alba pointed down to the ground.

"Oh, no." AJ sighed, picking the giraffe up and dusting it off a little before giving her it back, "There you go." AJ smiled, stroking her cheek softly.

"I need to go to work." Punk shook his head as he noticed the time.

"What?" AJ turned to him with shock, "No way are you going to work like this. Right now." AJ said.

"I have work to do. I need to… I need to go." Punk nodded to her as she took his hand, not letting him leave the table.

"Your brother needs you." AJ said as Punk looked at her, "I need you." She nodded, "The company can run without you for a day." She nodded. She knew it was his way of dealing with things, to avoid them as much as possible, but his family needed him. He was the glue that held them all together.

"What if he's really bad?" Punk shook his head.

"We're here for him." AJ said, "It's all we can do right now." She nodded, "We let the police do their job and we do ours. He's strong. So strong. Just like you." She nodded, holding his hand tightly as he looked at her. He felt lucky to have her there to comfort him, or else he would have been a mess, "It's gonna be ok." She nodded, leaning up and kissing his cheek softly as he wrapped his arm around her, bringing her close beside him as she hugged her arms around him tightly.


	54. Obsessed

**Obsessed**

* * *

After Renee and Kerry had left from visiting Dean in his room, AJ and Punk switched over to go see him. Kerry was trying to stay strong and take charge. She had taken Alba home with her for AJ and Renee who was extremely upset.

"I hate hospitals." Punk sighed, walking down the corridor with AJ as she turned to him. She could see he was anxious, upset and uncomfortable and that hurt her. She was too but she was trying to keep herself together, so he didn't have to do so for her.

"Hey." AJ took his hand in hers, "It's gonna be ok." She nodded.

"You don't know that." Punk shook his head, "What if it's really bad?" Punk said.

"You can't think like that." AJ shook her head, "You have to be positive. See the light at the end of the tunnel." She nodded, "He'll wake up and he'll recover. He's got the best people around him." She said as Punk sighed, pausing outside of Dean's rooms, "I'm right here." She nodded as he sighed.

She was right there, the way he should have been for her when she needed him. He felt even guiltier when he saw her so comforting beside him, that he couldn't be that for her when she needed comforting.

"Thank you." Punk nodded as AJ just smiled softly, pushing the door open as they walked into the room that Dean was in.

He was in bed of course, and still had every known wire attached to him. He was attached to a drip and had oxygen tubes down his throat. He looked so weak and hurt and it immediately broke Punk. This was the guy he was supposed to take care of. His little brother. He felt like he'd really failed him even though it wasn't anything he could have done to prevent it.

"God…" AJ sighed, finding it difficult to see Dean in such a way. He'd been her best friend for the longest time. When she went through her own time in hospital, he was there every day, making her laugh even when she didn't want to, being there to talk to. It broke her heart to see him this way.

Punk could barely walk into the room much further. He felt like his legs had frozen completely on the spot. It wasn't until AJ tugged his hand a little did he start walking again, like a new baby deer trying to find his balance.

AJ dropped Punk's hand and immediately sat down beside Dean, taking his hand in hers and sighing whilst Punk just stood looking at him. It was a hard sight to digest. He was upset, yet completely angry that someone had done this on purpose. It was an evil act and Punk was beside himself trying to figure out who would want to do this.

AJ sighed, brushing the tear from her cheek as she held Dean's hand tightly. She just wanted to hear his voice more than ever. Hear him tease her about something or crack an inappropriate joke. She wanted nothing more than for him to be ok.

Punk and AJ stayed in the room for a little while before leaving due to the visiting hour restrictions. It was almost too hard to stay for any longer anyway, just staring at his brother in such a critical way.

As they were walking out of the hospital entrance, they bumped into Drake.

"Hey." Punk shook his head.

"Hey." Drake said with concern as Punk looked at him, "There's something we need you to see."

* * *

"What is this?" Punk questioned, standing in the police station in one of the rooms with AJ whilst Drake showed them pictures of what appeared to be a gun.

"It was found in the back seat of the abandoned car." Drake said.

"And what about it?" AJ folded her arms.

"I got curious." Drake said, "The gun matches the gun which was used to kill your father." He said, putting down pictures which he'd dug up from Shawn's files.

AJ immediately looked up at Punk as he folded his arms and looked at the pictures.

"You think this is who killed him?" Punk asked him.

"I'm not sure. I thought if he was ever to show his face again, it'd be you he went after. I mean… you've got the company now. You've got all the money. Why Dean?" Drake questioned as Punk looked at the pictures.

Meanwhile AJ looked at Punk, wondering if and when he was going to tell Drake about the fact he was looking into his father's case all this time.

"Maybe it's coincidence." Punk said whilst AJ looked at him, "People can have the same guns."

"Yeah, they can." Drake said, "But we also found this." He put another picture down as Punk looked at it, "Who is Mack's company?" He questioned as Punk picked the picture up.

"It's… it's another trading company. This is a flyer for the party he's having next weekend." Punk shook his head, "This was in the car?"

"Yeah." Drake nodded, "I think we're digging at some old wounds here." He said as Punk rubbed the back of his neck whilst AJ looked up at him.

* * *

"Why didn't you say you've been looking into your father's murder?" AJ asked, standing outside the police station with Punk after they'd spoke to Drake.

"Because." Punk said.

"Because what?" AJ said, "Because you know something you don't want to tell them?"

"No. I don't know anything. I've been working on it and if they know I'm… if they think I'm looking into it they'll be weird about it. The whole point of me doing this on my own was so I could catch someone out, I could be undercover-"

"And how is that working out for you?" AJ asked him.

"I'm not telling them shit." Punk said, "I don't even have anything to tell them."

"They found a flyer connected to your work in the back seat of that car. This is connected. And you wanna know why they went for Dean? Because they're trying to get at you." AJ said, "Because someone knows that you're digging into this." She said.

"So you're saying Dean being in hospital is my fault?" Punk asked her.

"I didn't say that." AJ said, "I'm saying this is clearly got something to do with your dad. It has to." AJ nodded, "Who have you spoken to recently? Does anyone else know you're looking into this?" She asked him.

"Just Ted." Punk said, "And he's in New York. I recently spoke to Laura, my dad's secretary slash bit on the side but… she couldn't have done this." Punk shook his head.

"Why not? Because she's a woman and woman don't do evil things like this?" AJ raised an eyebrow as Punk just made a face at her, "What do you mean your dad's bit on the side?" She shook her head.

"She was having an affair with my dad whilst he was with Kim. He broke it off with her and him and Kim patched things up-"

"And you don't think the jealous girl your dad dumped wouldn't want revenge?" AJ said.

"Trust me, she didn't do this. She doesn't work for the company anymore-"

"Well maybe she knows who did." AJ said.

"No, you're not doing this." Punk shook his head.

"Doing what?" AJ asked.

"Getting involved. I wanted everyone as far away as possible from this. It's why I left in the first place-"

"Well now Dean is in hospital so you don't have a choice. You're not doing this on your own. You'll go out of your mind." AJ said, "Just tell the cops what you know, what you've found."

"No." Punk said, "They'll just keep me further away from it all. Trust me." He said.

"I do trust you. I trust you to do the right thing. You're not a cop. You're not supposed to be putting yourself at the centre of this." AJ said.

"Well I am. It's my dad, my brother." Punk said, "And I wanna know who the fuck is doing this and why they're doing it." He said, "If you can't accept that then maybe you should just go home." He shook his head as AJ looked up at him.

"You get a pass for lashing out at me because of what's going on." AJ nodded, "I only want what's best for you but most importantly what's best for Dean right now." She said, "Why would you wanna put yourself in danger? Whoever this is, obviously knows you're looking into your dad's death… this was your warning. Dean was your warning." She said, "Don't you get that?" She shook her head, "Who's to say that if you keep looking, it's my car getting hit down a ditch." She said as Punk ran his hand over his face, knowing she was speaking sense of course. She always did.

"You think this was my warning?" Punk asked her.

"We both know it was." AJ said, "Which is why you tell Drake everything. You tell him about Laura. About everything you've found so far." She nodded, "This is too dangerous now. It's not a game anymore."

"I never treated it like a game." Punk spat, "This is my family. I want to know who is doing this. Do you have any idea how frustrating it is?" He asked.

"Dean is my family too." AJ said.

"I'm not telling the cops anything. No way." Punk said, "I've come this far and maybe… maybe the fact they've exposed themselves means I can look closer." Punk nodded.

"Listen to yourself." AJ shrieked, "You're putting yourself and everyone around you in danger."

"Then don't be around me." Punk looked down on her as AJ stepped into him and glared up.

"I'm not giving you that choice. Your dumb ass is gonna get killed and then what?" AJ said as Punk looked at her. He wasn't used to having anyone in his life, caring for him like this. He'd spent eight years alone, having only himself to make decisions with. Having a second opinion again was almost strange. Especially when she was right of course.

"I'll be fine." Punk said, "I'm not telling the cops."

"Ok, well then if you don't tell the cops then just do nothing." AJ said, "Let them do their job-"

"Like they did last time with my dad? No." Punk said, "Maybe you're right. Maybe this is Laura. Maybe she was jealous that my dad dumped her and she… she tried to take his money and kill him. She was the only one with a key to my dad's office." Punk said, "But she just looked so innocent."

"Then tell the cops about it." AJ shook her head as Punk sighed.

"You're not listening to me." Punk said with frustration, "I won't be allowed anywhere near any of this. They'll end up dropping the case again after they don't do shit and then what?"

"Someone knows you're looking into this and they've possibly brain damaged your little brother to make you stop." AJ spat, "That's when you need to stop, Phil." She said, "Because if you don't… who is next? Me? Your mom?" AJ questioned.

"Quit saying that." Punk screwed his eyes up.

"What if I'm out with Alba and someone just shoots me in the head? Like they did your dad?" AJ said as Punk turned away, trying his best not to imagine such a thing, "Whoever this is clearly won't hesitate if it means making you stop."

"No one is gonna hurt you." Punk said, "I'll make changes. I'll look at stuff from home. I'll not talk to anyone about it-"

"How would anyone know you were looking into it anyway?" AJ questioned, "Unless you've spoke to them about it and you said you've only spoke to Ted and this girl Laura." AJ nodded, "What if it is her and she has someone else working with her?" AJ questioned, "You're never gonna know any of this."

"Well I can try to find out." Punk said, "For Dean. For my dad. The way I set out to do so. If you can't get on board with that then leave." He said as AJ looked up at him.

"You know I thought to myself you were the same boy I fell in love with all those years ago. That deep down you really hadn't changed a bit but… you have." AJ shook her head, "You're gonna get us all killed. You might have nothing to lose. I might be nothing to you. But I have a baby. I mean something to someone." She spat.

"Hey, you mean everything to me-"

"Save it." AJ shook her head, "You're obsessed and you're putting everyone in danger." She said. She could understand and sympathise how upset he was about all of this, about Dean being in hospital, about it linking to his father's murder, but she wouldn't be looked down on, "I need to go home to Alba." AJ shook her head, walking off as Punk took her hand to stop her but she just pushed it away and walked around to the taxi cab rank to get the hell away.


	55. Team

**Team**

* * *

"If he knows they are linked why doesn't he just tell the cops what he knows?" AJ shook her head, lying on her bed whilst Renee sat beside against the headboard drinking from a bottle of wine.

"Gosh he's so irritating. How do you put up with him?" Renee shook her head, a little tipsy after drinking almost two bottles of wine, and of course the alcohol was feeding off her high emotions making it worse. Kerry had told her to stay with them for the night, just so she wasn't alone.

"I didn't tonight. I didn't want to argue so I removed myself from the situation." AJ said.

"Smart." Renee nodded, "I know he cares. I do but he… he can be a real prick sometimes." Renee said as AJ nodded.

"He's obsessed with this. I mean it's why he left in the first place. It's like he can't get a breath of fresh air until he finds who did this, now even more since Dean was attacked." AJ said, "Makes me curious as to who the hell it is. I thought it had to be someone who had a grudge with their dad but… it sounds more to do with the company." AJ said as Renee nodded.

"But why… why go after Dean? What'd he ever do to anyone?" She sighed to herself. She'd cried a lot of tears that she felt like she'd ran out. She didn't know what to do with herself knowing her boyfriend was in critical care in hospital. It was terrifying.

"Dean was a warning. A warning for Phil to stop looking into things. And he's not gonna and then what? Do I have to fear for my life? Does Kerry?" AJ sighed, "I wish he would just tell Drake." She said, "It has to be Laura." She said to herself.

"Who-Who is Laura?" Renee screwed her eyes up.

"Their dad's secretary who he was having an affair with." AJ said.

"One man so… so many affairs." Renee shook her head, "Boggles the mind."

"Apparently, according to Phil, she was the only one at the time who had a key to Shawn's office. She was also dumped by him. So I don't know, to me a lot of fingers are pointing at her. And he was asking her questions not that long ago so maybe she got spooked and wanted to send a message?"

"Maybe." Renee nodded, taking another swig of wine, "Who else knows he's looking?"

"Uh… just some friend of their dad's. But he's in New York." AJ shrugged, "Now I'm getting curious about it and I don't want to be." AJ said with frustration, "I want Phil to just tell Drake so no one else gets hurt." She sighed worriedly.

"Maybe he will. Maybe tonight he's just… upset and emotional. Seeing Dean like that must have hurt him." Renee nodded.

"Yeah, it did. I could see it on his face." AJ said. She knew Punk was hurting but she couldn't let him walk into any sort of traps. Not when he was in this state of mind.

"Are you guys sleeping together?" Renee turned to her as AJ looked at her, "Dean said you were but I-I don't know, I didn't think you'd forgive him. Ever." Renee admitted.

"I forgave him." AJ nodded, "I thought we were gonna… try again. Forget about everything that happened. I still love him. That's never going to change. And when it's just the two of us, it's like nothing else is going on. I missed that with him." AJ said, "But he's so obsessed with this." She shook her head.

"Want some?" Renee extended the bottle of wine as AJ shook her head, sighing to herself as she heard a knock at the door.

"Stay here. Don't spill that on my bed." AJ said, getting off the bed and leaving the room, rushing down the stairs and unlocking the door, opening it up where she saw Punk standing.

"Hey." Punk sighed, "Mind if I come in?" He asked as AJ opened the door wider and let him in, closing it behind him.

"Your mom is in bed and… Renee is… sort of in bed too." AJ rolled her eyes, walking into the living room as Punk followed.

"It's you I came to talk to." Punk said, "I was a dick tonight. I… I shouldn't have spoken to you like that. I had no right, even if I was upset, you were being there for me and that's more than I've ever done for you." He said as AJ folded her arms and looked down, "I'm sorry. I just… I don't know what to do about this." He admitted as she looked up at him.

"And I was only trying to suggest what I think is best." AJ said, "So someone has caught onto you looking into your dad's case. This was them telling you to quit it. Dean is in a bad way. They did that to him on purpose to make you stop." AJ said, "That means you stop, Phil." She nodded, "Before anyone else gets hurt. Before you get hurt." She nodded, "This is bigger than you now."

"I can't give up now." Punk said, "I've came too far." He said, "They're showing themselves up." He said, "And I was thinking… maybe they left that flyer, about the rooftop party, because… they're gonna be there." He nodded, "Which means if I go-"

"Have you lost your mind?" AJ asked him, "No. They left it to… I don't know, make sure you knew it was connected to your dad, to you looking into things. And if it was to tell you they'd be at this party then all the more reason not to go." She shook her head, "You can't go to that party."

"I'm gonna go." Punk nodded as AJ placed her hands in her hair, walking out of the living room and into the kitchen as Punk followed, "I need to do this not just for my dad now but for Dean. I wanna look this son of a bitch in the eye and… and catch him out." Punk said, "Maybe if I go to this party-"

"Don't you care that if something happens to you I will literally go out of my mind?" She shook her head, "Or do I not matter in this scenario. I mean this is what you left me for so I guess it makes sense." AJ shrugged.

"No. No, of course I care. April, my little brother is in hospital and I don't know if he's gonna wake up. It's not a choice for me anymore to find this person." He said, "I love you and I… I want you to be safe. I want you all to be safe." He nodded. Of course that was his priority, keeping his family safe, keeping April safe, but he also couldn't let this go, not now.

"If you love me then you won't do anything crazy. You'll stay here, you'll take some time from work and you'll just focus on Dean getting better." AJ said, "No party. No work. Just stay out of that place for a while-"

"I can't do that." Punk said.

"Why can't you?" AJ whined.

"Because I just can't. Ok, I don't know how to explain it. I just want to know who it is. I've worked in that company. I run it here. I wanna know who came into my dad's house, during a party full of guests, and just shot him." Punk said, "The night we first kissed." He said as she folded her arms and looked down, "You remember that?" He asked her.

"Don't." AJ scoffed, "Don't try and soften me up just to cool me down. You're insane if you think this is a good idea." She said.

"I'm not it… it was just simpler back then." Punk nodded.

"You don't owe anyone anything." AJ said, "If you think you owe this to your dad, you don't." She said.

"I know but I want to know." Punk said, "I didn't leave a life with you, I didn't leave the one thing I loved the most to… not find out who this is." He said as AJ looked across at him, "I promise you I won't let anything happen to you or anyone else." He said, "But I have to do this." He nodded as AJ sighed. She could see that he was hurting and that he didn't want to hurt her by not doing as she asked but she could also see he looked like he had no choice. She understood his frustration.

"I'm not saying any of this to take the wind out of your sales. I'm saying it because… because I love you and this is scaring me. We're just starting this back up again. I finally feel like we can… we can move past everything that happened and… and be us again but I can't do that if you're gonna get hurt." She said as Punk walked towards her, placing his hands on her shoulders.

"I'm gonna be fine." Punk nodded, "And so is everyone else. I'm gonna be here for you, and God, I'm gonna be here for Dean, every day." He said, "But I can't let this go. Not now." He shook his head as AJ sighed, looking up at him, "Please-"

"Then I'm coming to that party with you." AJ said as Punk shook his head, "I am." She said, "You need someone there and I want to make sure nothing bad happens." She said.

"I don't want you involved, April-"

"It'll look normal. Like we're just there to enjoy the party. Better than you showing up on your own." She said, "I'm not sitting here thinking about you being in danger. I'm going." She nodded as he sighed, looking down at her, "If you wanna do this then I'm… I'm not letting you do it alone." She said. He was just as stubborn as her and maybe that's why she understood, but she wasn't letting him deal with this alone.

"I'd really prefer if you didn't come." Punk said.

"I'd prefer if you didn't go at all but whatever." AJ shrugged as Punk just nodded with a small smile.

"You're good at beating me at my own game." He nodded.

"I just wanna make sure you don't leave in a body bag." She said, "I'm gonna be walking around, holding your hand like a kid with his mom and making sure no one is looking at you the wrong way." She said as Punk smiled to himself and nodded.

"Your protection is always appreciated." He smiled softly, "You get why I want to do this right? It's not because it's more important to me than you. It's not even on the same level." He said, tucking a strand of her hair behind her ear, "This is what I left for. I've been trying to get this answer for eight years and now it's all unfolding, I'm not gonna just let it be. I'm even angrier than before. Dean is hurt. And maybe I'm turning how… terrified and upset I am into anger towards this, I don't know." He shrugged, "But I just know I can't ignore it." He said as she sighed and nodded.

"Yeah, I get it." She sighed. She did understood why he was doing this and she knew for sure that he was turning his emotions for Dean into anger. She knew him all too well, but she wasn't going to let him do it alone. If he wanted to do this then she was giving him no choice but to join him.

"They killed my dad, they did this to Dean… I can't not do anything now." Punk said, "Now more than ever." He said.

"Yeah and you need to be careful because it's obvious they know you're looking into it. You need to watch your every move and step." She said as Punk nodded, "I think this girl… Laura, she has to have something to do with it, right?" She questioned. Even though she didn't want him to continue on this quest, she wasn't letting him do it alone and she was also rather confused and curious herself.

"I don't know. I mean she's the only person I've spoken to so… I mean maybe. Maybe she's behind it and she's working with someone else." Punk nodded, "I have no idea." He sighed as AJ nodded.

"You need sleep, Phil." AJ said, "It's been a long morning and night for everyone." AJ nodded.

"You inviting me to sleepover?" Punk asked her.

"I'm inviting you to sleep on the couch if you want." AJ said, "I have a drunk Renee in my bed." AJ nodded.

"Then sleep on the couch with me." Punk said, placing his hands on her hips, leaning down and pressing a soft kiss on her lips. A 'everything is going to be ok' kiss that she missed so much. She needed it.

"I'll go get blankets and pillows." She nodded tiredly, pulling away from the kiss, stroking his cheek lovingly and walking away as Punk sighed, running his hand over his hair, his eyes catching over to the fridge where a picture of he and Dean was stuck up from when they were kids. A lump formed in his throat as he looked at it, thinking about his little brother, so innocent, so hurt. And yet it only fuelled his fire to find out who had done this to him. Who really thought they could get away with hurting him.


	56. Another One

**Another One**

* * *

"Why is she here?" AJ whispered, standing beside Punk at the party the next weekend, situating themselves over at one of the high tables. If it hadn't been for them being there to look around, Punk would have been staring at AJ the entire night. She was in a black dress with a slit up the side, her leather jacket over her shoulders. She looked effortlessly beautiful and Punk was having a hard time staying focused.

"I don't know." Punk said, looking over at Laura who had arrived with a man, "Maybe he works for the company. Or a different company." He said as AJ watched her closely.

Hadn't it been for them being focused on looking around, she would have had the time to take in how beautiful it was to be at a rooftop party. It wasn't something she did often and even just being in a dress made her feel so much more better about herself. She felt important around equally important people. But she knew she didn't need that to know her self-worth of course.

"Why would she come along? What interest would she have here?" AJ asked him.

"I have… no idea." Punk looked over at Laura with the man on her arm.

"You recognise him?" AJ asked.

"No, not at all. He definitely doesn't work for me." Punk said truthfully as AJ sighed.

"What about the board? Could he work for someone higher up? That would be a big deal if so? Maybe it's someone higher up who is doing this." AJ said as Punk shook his head.

"It's just the board that's higher up and… I know everyone at the board." Punk said, "It's my dad's company. There was no one higher up than him." He explained as AJ nodded.

"Drink?" A waiter appeared, holding glasses of champagne as AJ and Punk politely declined.

"How often do you come to these?" AJ asked him, sitting up on the stool.

"Parties?" Punk turned to her.

"Rooftop parties to be precise." AJ smiled a little.

"Not often." He shook his head, "Why? You like it?" He smiled to her as she shrugged.

"It's just different, I guess." AJ nodded, "It's pretty."

"Well when this is over, I'll take you to dinner on a rooftop." He nodded, "As long as you… wear that dress." He smiled over to her.

"I don't think I'm gonna get use to you having… lots of money." AJ admitted. Sometimes it was hard to believe. She still saw them as those teens living with Kerry, not knowing where life was headed. It was bizarre to think he was extremely rich, not that she believed that had changed him in any way.

"I'm the same guy." Punk assured her as she smiled.

"Yeah, I know you are." AJ smiled across to him, looking back over to where Laura was, talking to the man with her before leaving him, "She's going to the bathroom probably." AJ got off her stool, "I'll go." She nodded, taking her jacket off and handing it to Punk.

"What? No." Punk shook his head.

"Yeah." AJ said, "Girls love to chat in the bathroom." She said, "Maybe she'll tell me who the guy is. Trust me. I'm good at manipulating people." She smiled, taking her clutch purse from the table and walking off as Punks eyes followed her.

She was becoming more of a help than he had realised, and he was glad he had her with him. When he picked her up and she had walked out of the house, he felt like his jaw hit the ground. She was just drop dead gorgeous and he was feeling lucky to have her with him. She was the one person, the only person in the world that he would ever let know him. All of him. He realised more than ever now that living without her was just not an option.

Meanwhile AJ had headed into the fairly quiet bathroom. She stood at the sinks, looking in one of the mirrors, taking her lipstick out and watching the cubicle doors behind her as she awaited Laura to come out.

When she eventually came out, she didn't wait around to make contact.

"I love your dress." AJ turned to her with a smile. She did actually like her dress so technically, so far, she wasn't saying anything that was untrue.

"Oh." Laura smiled with surprise as she washed her hands, "Thank you." She nodded, "I never know what to wear to these." She rolled her eyes as AJ nodded.

"Well you did tonight." AJ smirked, "You come to these often?" She asked, turning back to the mirror, applying her lip stick whilst Laura fixed her hair.

"Oh, every now and then." Laura said, "My husband is a regional manager for some of the trade companies so… I get hauled along with him sometimes. He says I make him look good." She shrugged with a smile.

"That dress would make anyone look good." AJ nodded as Laura smiled, "How long have you been coming to them then?" AJ asked casually.

"A few years. Ever since we began dating. I was obsessed with them at the beginning. They made me feel like an important person, you know?" Laura said as AJ smiled and nodded.

"Yeah, I know what you mean." AJ said.

"Are you here for any particular reason?" Laura asked.

AJ looked at the mirror for a few seconds before answering, "Just here with a friend." AJ nodded as Laura smiled.

"Well enjoy." Laura nodded, "Just to note, they do the best mojitos here." She winked as AJ just smiled, watching as she walked out of the bathroom.

AJ sighed to herself, realising she didn't get as much information as she could have but it was something more than they had before.

She fixed herself quickly before leaving the bathroom, walking out of the door and turning around to where Punk had been sitting, realising he wasn't there and gulping as she looked around at all the people.

* * *

"Easy. Easy." Renee said softly as she helped Dean sit up a little in bed, "Doctor said to move around slowly, yeah?" She smiled to him as he nodded, "You comfy?" She asked.

"Yeah." Dean said, sitting up in bed, just in a normal hospital room. He woke up not long after he was brought out of surgery. For the first few days he was pretty unresponsive and extremely sore. They had taken him for some CT scans and were doing tests and all that had shown up was a crack in his skull. He knew how lucky he was to be alive.

"How you feeling today?" Renee asked him, of course visiting him every day for as long as she could.

"I'm alright." Dean nodded. He was still having a hard time coming to terms with what happened, "I just hate being in this damn place." He sighed to himself as Renee nodded.

"I know. Your doctor is just concerned that you're too weak to come home. Your body has been through a lot." She said, holding his hand as he nodded.

"Yeah, I know." Dean said, "Phil and April were at that party tonight, right?" He asked her as Renee nodded, "You think they'll find anything suspicious?"

Punk had told Dean once he had come around what was going on and that there was a link to his accident with their father's death. He was shocked and confused, but once Punk explained that it seemed to be a warning, he understood. He wasn't mad that his brother was still trying to work on the down low to find out who did it. He knew his brother was protective and had been working hard to figure it all out.

"I'm not sure." Renee said, "I just hope he isn't putting any of us in any more danger." She shook her head, "He should be letting the police do their job." She said.

"Yeah I know but he's been obsessed with this and now he finds out it's the same person who attacked me? I expect this reaction from him." Dean nodded, "And honestly, I hope he finds the son of a bitch." He shook his head as Renee nodded.

"I just hope they're alright and nothing bad happens." Renee shook her head.

"They'll be fine." Dean nodded, "When do you reckon I'm gonna get out of here?" He sighed.

"Soon hopefully." Renee nodded, "How has your body been feeling?"

"Stiff and sore." Dean sighed, "I should probably… start wearing a seat belt when I'm driving." He said.

"Yeah, I think that would be wise." Renee nodded as he just smiled, "God, I was so worried. It seemed so fatal. Cops said you were outside of the car when they found you." She shook her head as Dean rested his head back on the pillow.

"Can't keep me down." Dean said, still trying to keep his spirits bright.

"No, obviously not." Renee smiled, "I'm so glad." She shook her head, "Made me think about how I didn't tell you I loved you that day. Or that I might not have been able to hug you or kiss you again." She said, "It was so scary."

"Well you can still hug me and kiss me." He smiled, "I'll take a kiss right now actually… if you're offering." He smirked as she smiled across at him.

She leaned over, pressing her lips against his softly as he kissed back. They knew better than to take family for granted.

* * *

"Where were you?" AJ hissed a little as she eventually found Punk standing in the corner, "I got a fright when I didn't see you." She shoved him a little.

"I was keeping my eye on the guy Laura was with." Punk said, "Did you speak to her?"

"Yeah, briefly." AJ nodded, taking her jacket from him, putting it on as she felt the night getting colder on the rooftop, "It's her husband she's with." She said, "He is a regional manager for a few companies and he sometimes brings her along with him to these parties." She shrugged, "That was it. There was nothing else suspicious. She didn't seem weird or on edge." She said as Punk sighed.

"Annoying. I wanted her to spill something that would be helpful." Punk said as AJ nodded, "Nothing seems to be going on here." He admitted sadly. He desperately wanted to find something. Anything that would help them figure out even just a tiny piece of this puzzle.

"Yeah." AJ agreed, looking around.

"You wanna split?" Punk asked her.

"Aren't you supposed to be here to… do actual work?" She laughed a little.

"Yeah but I'm tired and I can't be bothered listening to anyone talk." He groaned a little as she smiled, "And plus I am… really trying hard not to imagine taking that dress off you but… it's challenging."

"Well you can't take it off here." AJ whispered as he smiled.

"Exactly." Punk said, "Mom's watching Alba right?" He asked, placing his hand on her hip, holding her close against his body as she nodded and smiled.

"Yeah, she is." AJ said.

"So… what'd you say we get out of here, go home-"

"Home?" AJ smiled to him. Anywhere with him felt like home, so she knew what he meant, watching him nod.

"Home." Punk said.

"Have you even ate?" AJ smiled, feeling him run his hands up and down her sides slowly.

"No, but I got something in mind." He whispered in her ear as she smiled to herself, already feeling herself get hot and bothered, feeling him press a kiss on her neck.

"Let's get out of here." AJ nodded as he smiled, taking her hand, making their way through people when suddenly a loud gun shot went off through the rooftop.

Punk immediately took a hold of AJ into him, as if assuring himself she had not been harmed whilst AJ clutched onto him.

"You alright?" Punk asked her as she nodded and gulped, listening as some screams began to be heard. It was like that night all over again, only this time they weren't teenagers unable to express their feelings for each other.

"What's going on?" AJ looked up at him as Punk kept her close to him, barging through some people as they eventually paused around what they could see was the victim of such a loud bang, "Oh my God." AJ gasped as she looked on at Laura on the ground.

The white dress she wore which AJ had complimented no more than a few minutes ago was now seeping with blood as she had been shot in the chest with no chance of holding on to any sort of life. She was very much dead.

"Oh my God." AJ turned into Punk who looked on at the girl, shaking his head with confusion whilst hugging AJ, comforting her from such a sight, comforting himself. If he wasn't confused before, now he really was.


	57. Exposed

**Exposed**

* * *

"Morning, you're… early." Kerry opened up the door as she saw her son at the door, letting him into the house as he walked in, "Where is April?"

"I left her sleeping." Punk nodded, walking into the living room, looking over at Alba sitting playing with her toys, watching her notice him and smile. It made him smile, realising that she was starting to notice him more and get familiar with him.

"Well I should think so. It's so early. We're just up." Kerry said as Punk nodded.

"Yeah, I couldn't sleep." Punk said, "Last night at the party, that girl who I was trying to pin all of this on… she was shot." He shook his head.

"What?" Kerry shook her head, "Oh my God, are you serious?"

"Yeah." Punk shook his head, "She was shot… in front of everyone."

"Did they catch who it was?" Kerry said as Punk nodded, "They did?"

"Yeah but it… it was just some guy. I spoke to Drake and he said it… it doesn't look connected but how am I supposed to believe that?" Punk asked.

"Just some guy?" Kerry questioned.

"Yeah. He didn't speak any English. He had nothing to do with the business. He's got a really bad criminal record." He nodded.

"Gosh, maybe that's why the girl was so on edge with you. Maybe she had other stuff going on." Kerry said as Punk just shook his head.

"No, it just… it doesn't feel right." Punk said, "It feels like it was deliberately done because I was there." He said, "It was exactly like dad's murder."

"Maybe this is just going to your head." Kerry said worriedly as Punk shook his head.

"No, I know this has to do with it. In the car that hit Dean there was a flyer for the party in the back seat and then at the party someone shows up dead? Tell me that's not just coincidence." He sighed with confusion.

"This is beyond your control, Phil. You're a businessman, you're not a cop, you don't have to figure this out. It's not your job."

"I have to for dad and Dean and now… Laura. She… She was innocent and I was trying to blame her." He said, "Her husband was there. Whoever is doing this just doesn't care." Punk sighed.

"Well if we're talking a serial murderer, they tend not to be very sane." Kerry said as Punk nodded, "Is April alright?"

"She was a little shaken up but she was ok." Punk nodded.

"Well I'm glad you're both ok." Kerry sighed, "I hate that you feel you need to do this." She shook her head.

"I do." Punk said, "I gave up my life here to find who this is. I'm starting to think I would have been better off just staying but… I feel like I'm close to it, closer than I ever have before." He said.

* * *

Meanwhile AJ had woke up in Punk's bed, reading the note on his pillow that he'd left, telling her he had gone to see his mom and get breakfast. She got up from the bed and took a shower.

Last night felt like such a blur. It was terrifying to be in the presence of such brutality again, just like when Shawn was murdered. It felt so evil and personal, and she was glad she could go home with him and hug into him tightly.

She got out of the shower after spending some time, putting on some clothes which she kept at his place since they had begun seeing one another again. She left the bedroom and headed into the kitchen just as there was a knock at the door.

She walked down to the door, running her hands through her wet hair as she opened up the door, noticing it was Kim.

"Oh, hi." AJ said with surprise.

"Hi, April." Kim smiled, "Is Phil in?" She asked.

"Uh… no, he isn't. He went to visit his mom." AJ said, "Is everything ok?" She asked her.

"Yeah, well… I wanted to talk to him about Shawn. Something I found that he might want to know." She said as AJ raised her eyebrows.

"Uh well… he shouldn't be long. He left a while ago." AJ noticed, "Do you want to come in and wait?"

"Yeah, if that's alright." Kim nodded.

"Sure, come in." AJ nodded, opening up the door wider as Kim walked in, "I've just put the kettle on, do you want a coffee?" She asked her.

"Oh, yeah. That'd be great." Kim smiled, "Black, two sugars please." She nodded.

"Ok, go take a seat." AJ said as Kim nodded, walking over to the couch and taking a seat whilst AJ went back into the kitchen to fix the coffees.

"This is a… really lovely place." Kim nodded as AJ walked back into the living room with the coffees.

"Yeah, it is. The view is amazing." AJ nodded, passing her the coffee.

"Thank you." Kim smiled sweetly as AJ nodded, sitting down across from her.

"Is it something to do with the company?" AJ questioned as Kim took a sip of the coffee, looking over at AJ.

"Uh… yeah." Kim nodded, "Just some things I found of Shawn's that I want to give him."

"Well if you have places to be I can always give him it." AJ said as Kim looked across at her.

"I would like to talk to him too, if that's ok." Kim said.

"Yeah, of course." AJ nodded, "I'll give him a call actually and tell him you're here." She said, getting up and going to fetch her phone as Kim sat sipping her coffee.

* * *

"Yeah, ok. I'll be there as quick as I can. I'm just leaving my mom's." Punk said, "Ok, alright. Bye." Punk hung up on the call with AJ as he walked out of the living room in his mom's house.

"AJ?" Kerry asked.

"Yeah. She said Kim is at my place with some things she has to give me." Punk said with curiosity, "Could be useful." He nodded.

"Well hopefully." Kerry said, "You be careful." She nodded, "This is all terrifying me." She admitted truthfully.

"We'll be fine." Punk assured her, giving her a tight hug as she nodded.

He opened up the door and walked outside to his car just as a cop car pulled up behind him, watching as Drake got out in a hurry and rushed over to him.

"What?" Punk shook his head as Drake seemed out of breath.

"I was calling you. Don't you answer?" Drake shoved him as Punk looked at him.

"What's going on?" Punk said, "What is it?"

"We found something." Drake nodded.

"Found what?" Punk gulped as Drake looked across at him.

"The day that your dad's money was moved, the week before he was murdered." Drake said as Punk listened, "Guess who had a huge income into their bank that same day?"

"Who?" Punk shook his head, "C'mon man, I gotta get home. My dad's girlfriend is waiting to talk to me." He said as Drake looked at him worriedly.

* * *

"April!" Punk yelled, bursting through the door to his place, "AJ!" He shouted, looking around the apartment, looking over at the coffee table where there was spilled coffee everywhere, "April!" He shouted nervously, walking down past the glass windows, bursting into his bedroom where he saw Kim holding AJ around the neck in front of her with a gun pointed at her head.

"Good. You're here." Kim smirked.

"Let her go." Punk nodded, "Let her go and we can… we can talk." Punk said, "She has nothing to do with his." Punk shook his head as Kim laughed hysterically.

"I know she has nothing to do with it but… one strain on my finger and I end your world. That's why she's here." Kim smiled, "Who'd you bring with you? Cops? Friends?" She asked.

"No one." Punk lied, knowing there was a full police unit waiting outside the apartment.

"I don't like liars." Kim said, "Your dad was a liar." She nodded, pushing the gun against AJ's head as AJ tried to get out of her arms.

"I'm not my dad." Punk nodded.

"Oh, but you are." Kim smiled, "I told April she better watch you, who you're being friendly with." She said, turning into AJ, "One night his dick will be in you, the next… someone else." She said as AJ tried to get out of her grip.

"Just let her go." Punk said, never being so worried upon seeing such a sight, "Please. You can talk to me about whatever. You can have whatever you want." Punk nodded, "Just let her go."

"Now why would I do that?" Kim said, "I'm gonna tell you why I did all of this, whilst I hold this gun at her head." She shrugged, "And you're going to listen to me." She said as Punk looked across at her, "I killed your dad. I tried to kill your brother. I killed that bitch last night. So don't think that I won't blow this pretty little things head off in front of you." She nodded.

"It was a guy last night." Punk shook his head, "And you were there when my dad was killed. You were crying and-"

"It's called acting, my lovely." Kim smiled sadistically, "And I have friends." She shrugged, "Your dad cheated on me. I… I was so heartbroken." She sighed to herself, "Not as heartbroken as when he told me he wasn't going to share our bank accounts like he promised. As soon as he moved into that new house, and he decided he wanted to be a good person… he just… he annoyed me." Kim rolled her eyes as Punk shook his head.

"You're a psychopath." Punk shook his head as Kim raised her eyebrows, triggered.

"You shouldn't say that to people." Kim frowned sarcastically, "It's a mean thing to say." She nodded, "And you definitely shouldn't say it when they have a gun in their hand."

"That was my father." Punk shook his head, "And my brother… what did he do to you?"

"He was paying the price for you being so damn annoying and sticking your nose where it didn't belong. And the flyer I left was for you to come along and watch that bitch die, because she deserved it. Who cheats with a man who is in a relationship?" Kim said, "I mean, talk about disrespectful." She laughed as Punk just shook his head, standing in shock, not knowing what to do or say.

"So you did all of this for money?" Punk asked her.

"Yes." Kim nodded, "I knew Shawn signed over my name into the company. So… the more money you've been making these past few years, I've been getting some but you know what… I just need a little more and since I can't suck your dick like I did his to get certain things… I'm just gonna have to hurt this one instead." She said, looking at AJ, "She smells so good." She shook her head, smelling AJ's wet hair as AJ gulped and looked across at Punk.

"I'll give you any money you want." Punk said, "Just let her go. No one else has to get hurt." Punk said, trying to keep calm.

"That's not fun." Kim frowned.

"This isn't a damn game!" Punk yelled whilst AJ looked across at him. She knew he couldn't do anything or else she could have been harmed, so she knew it was up to her to get out of the situation.

"I know it's not." Kim said whilst AJ grabbed the gun from her head, pointing it up and biting Kim's arm hard, so hard through the skin that blood began to seep out. She had no choice.

Kim squealed out in pain, pushing AJ over as AJ scrambled over to Punk.

"Go, get out." Punk told AJ who held onto his arm, "AJ, go!" Punk yelled as AJ ran off through the apartment whilst Kim picked the gun back up and pointed it at Punk.

"Stupid little girl just made you a dead man." Kim laughed as Punk looked across at her.

"What are you going to do? Kill me?" Punk smiled, "And then what? You think you can just get the money from the company and no one is gonna notice that you're filthy rich whilst everyone around you is dead?"

"I tried so hard to be a good step-mom and you were both so mean to me." Kim said, walking towards him, pressing the gun against his chest as Punk looked at her.

"All you wanted was my dad's money." Punk said, "And when you weren't getting enough, that was it-"

"He cheated on me. He deserved what he got. And so did that bitch-"

"You were that same bitch. My dad cheated on my mom with you-"

"He wasn't happy. There's a difference." Kim said.

"Well then he obviously wasn't happy with you." Punk spat, moving in closer to her as she looked up at him.

"You're just as handsome as he was." She smiled, "Maybe I should have just moved onto you." She said, hooking her finger in one of the loops on his pants as Punk looked across at her, "Right now if you want." She nodded, undoing his belt with one hand whilst the other held the gun at him.

Punk grabbed her wrist and pushed her arm away, "You're sick." Punk spat as Kim looked up at him, "And you're going to prison." He nodded as Kim looked up at him, listening as the cops came into the apartment, walking in behind Punk as Kim looked around at them.

"Put the gun down." Drake ordered as Kim smiled to herself, stepping back and dropping the gun, putting her hands on her head before they even asked her.

Drake walked over to her, grabbing his handcuffs out and putting them around her wrists, "You're under arrest." He spat whilst Kim smiled across at Punk.

"This isn't over." Kim spat.

"Yes it is." Punk nodded, watching as she was dragged out of the room.

Punk followed, walking down past the glass windows, watching as she was dragged out of the apartment screaming at him whilst AJ made her way over to him, hugging him tightly as Punk wrapped his arms around her, sighing to himself with relief, kissing her head and holding onto her as tight as ever, closing his eyes over as he tried to digest everything.


	58. Start Living

**Start Living**

* * *

"Did Drake say he would call?" Kerry asked, looking on at AJ and Punk sitting down on the couch in her house. They'd came immediately, knowing it as the only safe place for both of them, and they explained to Kerry what had happened. She, of course, was completely shocked, as were Punk and AJ.

"He-He said he would stop by. I told him we'd be here." Punk nodded "I can't believe I… I didn't even think of her." He said as AJ turned to him.

"Why would you? She was playing the grieving girlfriend all this time." AJ said, "I just can't believe she got away with it." She shook her head.

"She's a lunatic. She'll spend the rest of her life in prison or in a mental facility." Kerry nodded, "Exactly where she deserves to be. After all the despicable things she's done. No person in their right mind does all of that and smiles about it." She said as Punk sighed.

He ran his hands over his face, trying to get the image of Kim smiling out of his head but he just couldn't. He was mad that he never even considered her when she was probably the closest person to his father. It just never crossed his mind.

"Did she say who she had helping her?" Kerry asked.

"Friends." Punk shrugged, "Whatever that means. Probably the nearest psychos she could get her hands on. Probably paid them." He assumed, "And it makes sense that she moved the money. She would have had access to his office and no one would have batted an eyelid about it." He said, "God, why didn't I see this?"

"No one was expecting this." Kerry said, "You can't beat yourself up about it. I'm just glad you're both alright. We've had enough scares. It's over now and she's… she's gonna die locked up, the way she deserves after all the things she's done." She said as Punk sighed, listening as there was a knock at the door.

Kerry headed out of the living room and answered the door where it was Drake who walked on in.

"How we doing?" Drake asked them as Punk looked up and nodded.

"We're alright." Punk nodded, "Where is she?"

"She's been sectioned and taken to a mental facility." Drake nodded, "She'll have to go through trial to see where she'll carry out her sentence. Either way she's… got no way out." He said as Punk nodded, "You ok?" He asked AJ, "You hurt?"

"No, I'm ok." AJ assured him, "How did she know the people she was working with?" AJ asked him.

"We think she paid them. Gangs in these streets will do anything for cash." He said as AJ sighed, "She's… not all right in the head."

"Yeah, clearly." Kerry nodded.

"I'm just hoping this has gave you all a little bit of relief now." Drake said, "Shock more than anything I guess." He said, "But maybe now it's a little easier to move on." He said as Punk nodded, feeling AJ place her hand on his leg as he smiled, placing his hand on top of hers, "I'll be on my way. I just wanted to… let you guys know she's been detained and… she's not gonna get out. I know that." He promised.

"Thank you." Punk nodded to him.

"I'll see you out." Kerry nodded to Drake, leaving the living room with him as AJ turned to Punk.

"You ok?" AJ asked him, kissing his arm as he nodded.

"Yeah, I'm ok. You?" Punk sighed, turning to her as she nodded, "That was the scariest thing in the world." He admitted truthfully, "Seeing you like that." He said, trying to get the image out of his head.

"I'm alright." AJ nodded, "We took her down. I might have had to get some of her skin under my teeth but…" She shrugged as Punk smiled to her, "She's gone now. That's what you wanted. You looked her in the eye and you saw her get taken away." She said as Punk nodded.

"Yeah." Punk nodded, "Feels like I can breathe again." He laughed a little as she smiled. He felt like he could finally straighten up and sleep peacefully at night now that he knew what happened, why his father was murdered, why Dean was targeted, it all came together, even if it was the most unlikeliest of ways.

"Good." AJ smiled, "It's over." She nuzzled her nose into his neck, "It doesn't have to control your life anymore." She said as Punk nodded.

"Yeah." He turned into her and kissed her head, glad he had her with him, "I think I'm gonna go out and get some fresh air." He told her as she nodded.

"I have a baby to bath anyway." AJ nodded as Punk smiled.

"I'll come home here. I think work can do without me for a few days. I just… wanna be here with you, and my mom." He nodded as AJ smiled, cupping his cheek and kissing him softly, pressing his head against hers as she pecked his lips softly and gently.

* * *

"Who would have thought?" Dean shook his head, sitting up in bed eating a yoghurt as Punk slouched on the arm chair after telling him everything.

"Not me." Punk shook his head, "Definitely not me."

"She's a legitimate psychopath." Dean said as Punk nodded, "How is AJ?"

"She's ok." Punk nodded, "I thought I was gonna lose her for a second and I… I just felt like the world was ending. I think I realised that… nothing was ever as big as how much I love her." Punk said, "I could lose my job forever and I'd move on but losing her forever is just… I don't even wanna think about it." He rubbed his hand over his face.

"Well you don't have to." Dean said, "It's over." He nodded, "And wether you think so or not… you not giving up on this is why she was finally caught. You helped this case." Dean nodded, "And now she can go be some prison officers problem for the rest of her life."

"I just wish I saw it coming." Punk said.

"How could you have? She always acted the sweet, innocent grieving girlfriend." Dean said, "No one would have thought this in a million years." Dean said, "Most important thing is, everyone is ok and now we can… God, now we can finally move on. I don't know about you, but that feels pretty good." He sighed to himself as Punk nodded.

"Yeah." Punk smiled to him, "Yeah, it feels good." He smiled to himself as Dean nodded.

"You want some of this?" Dean asked, passing over his half-finished yoghurt as Punk nodded and took it from him, "Now maybe you can get to living your life. I feel like you've had it on hold for eight years."

"Yeah. I just… I wanna be with my family. With April." Punk nodded, "I'm so glad this is over." He sighed as Dean smiled, "This is disgusting." He said with a mouthful of yoghurt, making a face of disgust as he swallowed it down unhappily

"Yeah that's why I gave you it." Dean laughed as Punk shook his head.

"If you weren't an invalid I'd smack you." Punk said as Dean just smiled and nodded.

Punk spent the rest of the night with his brother in hospital, taking comfort in finally feeling free, finally feeling like this was all over and he could start living his life again without the shackles of finding out who murdered their father around him.

* * *

 _One year later…_

"Alba, baby come get your lunch please." AJ called, grabbing a juice box from the fridge and sitting it over on the table after making some lunch for her two, almost three year old daughter, "Alba." AJ said, walking out of the kitchen and pausing as she saw her daughter sitting down at the window looking out and watching all the people down below, "Hey." AJ said a little louder as Alba turned around.

"Mommy." Alba noticed her mother.

"Come get your lunch." AJ laughed a little.

"Oh." Alba said, getting to her feet and running over to her mother. She was good walking and running on her feet now and was also speaking many words. She definitely wasn't a little toddler who needed carried everywhere.

"What were you looking at?" AJ asked her.

"People." Alba told her, sitting up at the table, "Birds." She nodded, "On the roofs."

"Lots of birds, huh?" AJ said as Alba nodded.

"Stop calling me. I take two weeks off from work, that means I don't wanna be bothered." Punk walked into the kitchen on his phone, "Well then send it to someone else. Don't bother me." He said, hanging up as AJ smiled to him.

"Who was that?" She laughed a little.

"Ted. Idiot doesn't know what a vacation is clearly." Punk said.

"Daddy can I… eat at the window?" Alba asked as Punk smiled and nodded.

"Yeah, go on." Punk nodded, "Here I'll help you in." He said, walking over and taking her juice box and her sandwich as she lead the way as Punk smiled, "What you been seeing today?" He asked her as she sat down in front of the huge glass window whilst he crouched beside her.

"That man." She pointed down, "With the… the box." She said as Punk looked down at all the busy people, noticing the man she was meaning.

"Hot-dog man?" Punk asked, "He's selling hot-dogs."

"Oh." Alba smiled, "I wave but… but no ones notice me." She sighed.

"You're so far up, though." Punk said, "I bet the birds notice you." He said.

"I wave to them to." Alba nodded as Punk smiled, kissing her head. She was the most beautiful little thing in the world. Small and fragile, just like AJ, with dark hair, dark eyes and her mother's skin. She was the light in his life and he wasn't quite sure what he'd do without her. Even if they didn't share the same DNA or the same blood, she was his. He was always going to be there for her. That was a promise he made her and a promise he made AJ once they began seriously dating again.

They'd talked about Alba calling him daddy and Punk loved it. He was here just as a dad should be. He tucked her into bed, read her stories, bathed her, cooked for her, laughed with her and watched her when AJ was working. He was her father. There was no doubt about it.

He walked back into the kitchen where AJ was sitting at the table on her laptop, "She's waving to the birds again." Punk said as AJ laughed a little.

"I think she really expects them to wave back." AJ said as he smiled, sitting down beside her, "Could you read this part for me? It's final drafts but I'm just so nervous about sending it in. I want it to be great." She sighed, sliding the laptop over to him as he nodded.

After perseverance and determination, she finally was being published with her agency. It was the best feeling in the world and with Punk being a smart businessman he was able to help her with the business side of things which was useful. She felt like everything was really coming together.

"That's amazing." Punk nodded after reading it, "Perfect." He smiled to her.

"You would say that anyway." AJ waved her hand.

"No, I'm serious. I love it. You know I do. You've worked so damn hard on it." He said, kissing the side of her head as she nodded.

"I have a meeting tomorrow and then it's sent through." She said, sitting back on her chair as he smiled.

"Are you excited?" He asked her as she nodded.

"Yeah, I can't believe I've actually did it." She shook her head, "This year has just been crazy." She shook her head.

After dating and finding the time for themselves properly once everything had been wrapped up with Kim, Punk asked AJ to move in with him pretty quickly. AJ was hesitant at first but once she knew that there was really no reason to not do it, her heart was always with Punk no matter what, she immediately jumped in head first.

It was then where Punk really began to take a huge part in Alba's life and she was just so glad that Alba had a father. Her father was Punk. He was there for her and she loved him so much. They were best friends as well as father and daughter and AJ loved it.

After moving in she then got the publishing deal and although things were pretty crazy with her and Punk working, they of course had the best support system with Kerry, Dean and Renee.

"Yeah, it really has." Punk agreed, "It's been great, though." He said.

Sometimes he did get these flashes of regret. That he never should have left. That he still wished he was there for AJ when she needed him, but they'd built themselves back up with an even stronger bond. They understood one another, they understood adulthood and parenthood, and they made it work. Being through what they had, made them stronger.

"Hot-dog man, wave!" Alba called from in the living room as Punk laughed to himself.

"What is she saying?" AJ laughed as she looked at Punk.

"She wants the hot-dog guy to wave at her." Punk said, "Just like the birds."

"She's always been obsessed with looking out that window." AJ shook her head, "Remember the time she fell asleep on the floor beside it."

"Yeah." Punk laughed to himself. They hadn't only built their relationship back to the way it was before but they had made more memories together. As a couple, as parents, as a family. It was beautiful.

"At least she'll never be afraid of heights." AJ said as Punk nodded.

"That's true." Punk said.

"Ok, I need to save this draft." AJ nodded as Punk smiled. There was nothing more he loved than to watch her succeed and achieve all her goals. It was the best view in life.

"I'm so proud of you." He smiled, kissing her cheek as she turned to him.

"I'm proud of us." She smiled as he nodded, "I love you." She said, leaning forward and kissing him softly as he kissed back, all too passionately as she giggled and shoved him away, "It's the middle of the afternoon and Alba is awake." She scoffed as Punk just smiled.

"She goes for nap-time soon. I can hang off." Punk looked at the clock as AJ shook her head.

"Good. I'm glad." She laughed as he smiled, kissing her cheek.

The most important thing was they were happy. They were able to let go of grudges, of obsessions, of all the anger, and be those people they fell in love with when they were just teenagers all those years ago.

* * *

 **A/N: The end for this one. I felt like it didn't have to be dragged out after the killer was revealed. Hope you guys enjoyed this one. I'm sure I'll be cooking up something new so stay tuned as always. Thanks for the reviews and support!**


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